As Israel began marking its annual Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to a potential ceasefire with Hamas on key issues, signaling that Israel would continue with the offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza. Preparing to move forward. Kill countless numbers of civilians.
despite a brief glimpse of hope As Israel and Hamas approached a ceasefire agreement over the weekend, the prime minister painted a much less optimistic picture in comments Sunday.
“Hamas is sticking to its extreme positions, the first of which is to demand the withdrawal of all our forces from the Gaza Strip, an end to the war, and leaving Hamas in power,” he said. Said, “Israel cannot accept that…Hamas will be able to achieve its promise to repeatedly carry out genocide, rape and kidnapping.”
He said, “I say to the world leaders: No amount of pressure, no decision of any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself.” couple, “Never again.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant accused Hamas of not being interested in a hostage deal in a statement on Sunday.
The official suggested that Israel would proceed in the “near future” with its planned offensive into Rafah, where more than one million Gazans displaced by the Israeli war effort are taking refuge.
“We have clear goals for this war. We are committed to the destruction of Hamas and the release of the hostages. we have given [Hamas] time and we wanted to reach a situation where we could realize the release of the hostages as soon as possible with a certain delay in operational action, because the hostages are in a difficult situation and we have to make every possible effort to release them. Needed. “Mr. Gallant told the soldiers In the Netzarim corridor of central Gaza.
His comments echo a statement by Mr Netanyahu earlier this week, which Said Israel would attack Rafah “with or without agreement to achieve total victory”.
Despite a tough stance from above, hundreds of Israeli citizens took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday OpposeNetanyahu called on the government to reach a ceasefire agreement and release the many Israeli hostages still in Hamas custody.
Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said, Said The group also on Sunday called for a “serious” agreement on prisoner exchanges as well as a ceasefire with an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
He accused the Israeli Prime Minister of “continuing aggression and expanding the scope of the conflict and sabotaging efforts made through mediators and various parties.”
The Netanyahu government has faced criticism from the right and left, with hard-liners threatening to withdraw support from the Netanyahu coalition if it accepts a ceasefire, and liberal critics accusing the prime minister of touting the real prospects for peace.
recently Piece From a liberal-leaning Israeli newspaper Haartez Netanyahu accused of “torpedo”[ing] “This is Israel’s last and best chance to bring the hostages home.”
Given the impasse at the negotiating table, various parties are now looking to plan their next move.
The Hamas delegation, which arrived for talks in Cairo on Saturday, announced on Sunday that it was leaving To consult the group’s political office in QatarThen will return to Egypt on Tuesday for continued talks.
Meanwhile, Israel, has not yet sent a delegation To the capital of Egypt.
US CIA Director William Burns is also reportedly traveling to Doha.
“Burns is heading to Doha for an emergency meeting with the Qatari prime minister, aimed at putting maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue negotiations,” a diplomatic source said. told reuters,
allegedly had hamas Presented with a proposal that would begin with a six-week ceasefire and the partial release of hostages in exchange for some Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas is demanding Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza as part of its negotiating strategy, a demand Israel says it will not accept as long as Hamas remains in power.
“Ending the war, and keeping Hamas intact – the State of Israel cannot accept this,” Mr Netanyahu said. Said on Sunday. “We are not prepared to accept a situation in which Hamas brigades come out of their bunkers, retake control of Gaza, rebuild their military infrastructure, and return to threatening Israeli civilians.”
Unless both sides agree, violence at the ground level will continue.
On Sunday, Hamas claimed responsibility for an attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing in Gaza from Rafah, which killed three Israeli soldiers.
In response, Israel said it would block aid trucks from entering Gaza through the border point.