Israel will not withdraw from Gaza or release thousands of Palestinian prisoners, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said On Wednesday.
Disputing reports about some of the terms of a possible truce agreement with Hamas, the Israeli prime minister stressed that Israel must achieve its goals.
Netanyahu repeated his usual rhetoric about the Israeli operation in Gaza, which is that he will not end this war unless all the goals are achieved.
“This means eliminating Hamas, returning all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel,” said Netanyahu.
Hamas announced on Tuesday that it is considering a new proposal for a renewed ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages, its political leader said, but stressed that his priority is the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In a statement, Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, received the proposal at a meeting in Paris over the weekend that included officials from Israel, Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
Hamas “is in the process of studying and submitting an answer on the basis that the priority is to stop the aggression, the brutal attack on Gaza and the complete withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Strip,” the statement said.
Israel has repeatedly reiterated that it will not accept an indefinite cessation of hostilities.
Earlier, negotiators in Paris this weekend agreed to a broad framework for the release of hostages and a potential ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel, according to an official familiar with the talks.
