Israeli Prime Minister has rejected Hamas’s ceasefire proposal, aiming for total victory in months
The Prime Minister of Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected Hamas’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and said that total victory is possible within months.
His remarks came in response to the terms laid out by Hamas in their latest proposal. He further said that the negotiations with Hamas are not going anywhere and described their terms as “bizarre”.
Speaking on the occasion, he said, “There is no other solution but a complete and final victory. If Hamas will survive in Gaza, it’s only a question of time until the next massacre.”
The Hamas proposal included 3 phases. In the first phase, they want a 45-day pause in fighting during which all Israeli women hostages, males under 19, the elderly and the sick would be exchanged for Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails. Besides, Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza, and the reconstruction of hospitals and refugee camps would begin.
In phase two, the remaining male Israeli hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, and Israeli forces would leave Gaza completely. In the third phase, both sides would exchange remains and bodies. The proposed deal would also facilitate increased deliveries of food and other aid to Gaza. By the end of the 135-day pause in fighting, Hamas said negotiations to end the war would have concluded.
Reacting to Netanyahu’s rejection, Senior Hamas Official – Sami Abu Zuhri said that the remarks of Netanyahu “are a form of political bravado” and show he intends to pursue the conflict in the region.
However, as per reports, a new round of negotiations, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, is still expected to go ahead in Cairo. Egypt has called on all parties to show the necessary flexibility to reach a calm agreement. However, contrary to Netanyahu, Qatar has described Hamas’s proposal as “positive”.
It is to be noted that the trouble started when Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack by air, sea and land on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,400 people with at least 150 hostages taken into Gaza. In response, Israel attacked Gaza. Till now, more than 27,700 people being killed and more than 65,000 injured in strikes carried out by Israel. As per the United Nations (U.N.), more than 70% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population were forced to leave their homes.
Separately, Netanyahu also confirmed that Israeli forces have been ordered to prepare to operate in the Southern Gaza city of Rafah, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled in order to escape the fighting. Netanyahu’s stance also highlights the continuing, fundamental mismatch between the United States (U.S.) and Israel’s plans for Gaza’s future. He is insisting on an entity where Israel maintains overall security control and Gaza is run by local bodies with no connection to Hamas or any other group.
