Netanyahu Insists on Resuming Fight in Any Gaza Deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that any ceasefire deal in Gaza must permit Israel to resume fighting until its objectives are fully achieved. This statement comes as discussions on a US-proposed plan to end the nine-month conflict are anticipated to restart.
Hamas, having accepted a key part of the plan, awaits Israel’s response to its latest proposal. Netanyahu is set to hold consultations on Sunday night regarding the next steps in negotiating the three-phase plan presented in May by US President Joe Biden, with Qatar and Egypt mediating.
Negotiations Continue Amidst Tensions
The plan aims to conclude the war and secure the release of approximately 120 Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Initially, Hamas demanded a permanent ceasefire before signing any agreement but has now agreed to negotiate this during the initial six-week phase, a source revealed to Reuters on Saturday under anonymity.
Netanyahu, however, maintains that the agreement must not restrict Israel from resuming combat to achieve its goals, which include dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and securing the hostages’ release.
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“The plan agreed upon by Israel, welcomed by President Biden, will facilitate the return of hostages without hindering other war objectives,” Netanyahu stated.
Security Concerns and International Mediation
The deal also necessitates prohibiting weapons smuggling to Hamas via the Gaza-Egypt border and preventing thousands of armed fighters from returning to northern Gaza.
US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns is scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister, Israeli, and Egyptian intelligence chiefs in Doha on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter disclosed.
Burns, along with an Israeli delegation, is also expected to visit Cairo this week, Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV reported on Sunday, citing a high-ranking source.
A Palestinian official close to the talks suggested that the proposal could lead to a framework agreement if Israel accepts it, potentially ending the conflict.
“We have left our response with the mediators and await the occupation’s reply,” one of the Hamas officials told Reuters, requesting anonymity.
Another Palestinian official noted that Israel was in discussions with the Qataris, expecting a response within days.
Public Protests and Ongoing Violence
In Israel, public protests have erupted, urging the government to agree to the Gaza ceasefire deal to ensure the hostages’ return. Protesters blocked rush-hour traffic at major intersections, picketed politicians’ houses, and briefly set fire to tires on the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway before police intervened.
In Gaza, Palestinian health officials reported at least 15 fatalities from Israeli strikes, including Ehab Al-Ghussein, Hamas’ deputy minister of labor, and his family. Three other individuals were killed in a strike at a church-run school sheltering families in western Gaza City.
The Netanyahu Israeli military stated that it had minimized civilian harm before targeting fighters hiding in the school and a nearby facility producing weapons.
Intensified Conflict and Casualties
In Rafah, Israeli tanks deepened their raids in central and northern areas. Health officials recovered three bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in eastern Rafah.
The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed to have attacked Israeli forces in several Gaza Strip locations with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.
The Israeli military reported killing 30 Palestinian gunmen in Rafah over the past day, with one Israeli soldier killed in combat. In Shejaia, forces killed several gunmen and located weapons and explosives, releasing a drone video of the incident.
Reuters could not immediately verify the video’s authenticity.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel, resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths and around 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures. Gaza health officials report over 38,000 Palestinian deaths from Israel’s military actions, reducing much of the coastal enclave to rubble.
Gaza’s health ministry does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, but officials claim most casualties have been civilians. Israel has lost 324 soldiers in Gaza, stating that at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.