JERUSALEM. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Saturday that there will be no permanent ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas is completely destroyed, challenging a key aspect of a truce proposal presented by U.S. President Joe Biden.
President Biden announced on Friday that Israel had suggested a deal entailing a six-week truce, a partial Israeli military withdrawal, and the release of some hostages, with the aim of negotiating “a permanent end to hostilities.” However, Netanyahu firmly stated that any expectation of Israel agreeing to a permanent ceasefire before “the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities” is “a non-starter.”
Peace negotiations have been stalled for months, with Israel insisting on the release of all hostages and the dismantling of Hamas, while Hamas demands a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of numerous Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas expressed readiness on Friday to engage “positively and in a constructive manner,” but senior official Mahmoud Mardawi stated in a Qatari television interview that the group had not received the proposal’s details. “No agreement can be reached before the demand for the withdrawal of the occupation army and a ceasefire is met,” he asserted, reaffirming Hamas’ commitment to Israel’s destruction.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas fighters launched an assault on southern Israel from Gaza, resulting in over 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians, and the capture of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports. Israel’s subsequent ground and air campaign in Gaza has devastated the territory, leading to widespread starvation and over 36,000 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Last month, Netanyahu defied international calls by sending Israeli troops into Rafah, the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza, displacing over a million Palestinians. Israel claimed that controlling Rafah, located on the border with Egypt, was essential for the success of its campaign against Hamas.
Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi predicted on Wednesday that the war in Gaza would continue through the rest of 2024 at least.
Opposition Voices
In the United States, Israel’s primary ally, the severe civilian suffering in Gaza has increased pressure on President Biden to end the conflict. As he seeks a second presidential term in the November election, Biden urged for the war to conclude, stating, “It’s time for this war to end and for the day after to begin,” and calling on Israeli leadership to resist internal pressures for an indefinite war.
Within Israel, public anger over the October 7 attack has largely supported the war in Gaza, but there is also significant pressure on the government to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Netanyahu to accept a hostages-and-ceasefire deal, promising his party’s support even if it meant opposition from right-wing factions within the governing coalition. “The government of Israel cannot ignore President Biden’s consequential speech. There is a deal on the table and it should be made,” Lapid stated in a social media post on Saturday.
Negotiators have struggled to find acceptable terms for ending hostilities. Mediators have suggested a sustained period of calm as a compromise, but Israel maintains that a permanent ceasefire is impossible with a group intent on its destruction, while Hamas rejects any agreement that allows Israel’s military operations to continue.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
