Israel-Gaza ceasefire: Israeli PM Netanyahu refuses to accept Hamas' demand

Thursday, 8 February 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas's conditions on the proposed ceasefire, saying that a 'complete' victory over Gaza is possible within a few months.

Netanyahu said this regarding several demands of Hamas in response to the Israel-backed ceasefire proposal.

Netanyahu said talks with Hamas were "moving nowhere" and the demands the group was making were "bizarre."

Negotiations regarding ceasefire are still going on so that a deal can be reached.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, Netanyahu said, "There is no other conclusion than a complete victory over Gaza. If Hamas remains in Gaza, the next massacre could happen at any time."

It was believed that Israel would negotiate on Hamas's terms, but this statement by Prime Minister Netanyahu clearly ended such possibilities.

Israeli officials say that Hamas wants to end this war on its own terms, which is completely unacceptable to them.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told news agency Reuters that Netanyahu's comments were "a form of political arrogance", and show he wants to escalate the conflict in the region.

A new round of talks, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, are expected to begin in the capital Cairo on Thursday, 8 February 2024, an Egyptian official source told the BBC.

An Egyptian official source said that Egypt has appealed to all parties for cooperation to reach a peaceful settlement.

According to Reuters, Hamas's conditions are-

Phase 1 – A 45-day pause in hostilities, during which all Israeli female hostages, male hostages under the age of 19, the elderly and the sick will be released. In return, Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons should be released. Israeli forces should withdraw from populated areas of Gaza and hospitals and refugee camps should be rebuilt.

Second phase: The remaining Israeli hostages will be released when the Israeli army completely withdraws from Gaza.

Third phase- Both the sides will give the bodies of those killed and their belongings to each other.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, so far 27,700 people have died in Gaza and 65,000 are injured.

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