Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ proposal for a ceasefire

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the proposals of the radical Palestinian group Hamas to cease fire and release the hostages. The group is recognized as terrorist in the USA and the EU.

Netanyahu again promised to destroy the group, saying that Israel has no other alternative but the collapse of Hamas. “Only a complete victory will allow us to restore security in Israel, both in the north and in the south,” he said.

According to the Reuters agency, a high-ranking representative of Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, called Netanyahu’s statements “political bravado”, which indicates the Israeli leader’s intention to continue the conflict in the region.

Another representative of Hamas reported that representatives of the group will go to Cairo on Thursday to continue negotiations on a ceasefire with mediators from Egypt and Qatar.

Earlier, Hamas rejected the deal on the release of Israeli hostages, which was proposed by mediators at a meeting in Paris and agreed with Israel. According to Reuters, on Tuesday the group put forward a counter-proposal, which involves a ceasefire for four and a half months, during which time all the hostages will be released, Israel will withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip and an agreement will be reached to end the war. Hamas’ proposal includes three stages.

The first stage involves the cessation of hostilities for 45 days: during this period, Hamas releases women, men under 19 years of age, as well as elderly and sick hostages in exchange for Palestinians who are in Israeli prisons. At this stage, Israel must withdraw its troops from populated areas in the Gaza Strip.

The second stage includes the release of the remaining hostages and the complete withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip. The third stage involves the exchange of the remains of the dead. The deal also includes an increase in humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip.

• As a result of the attack by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants on the south of Israel on October 7, 2023, about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, died. 240 were taken hostage and taken to the Gaza Strip. It is reported that 31 of them died in captivity. In response, Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip with the aim of completely destroying Hamas. According to the Palestinian side, more than 26 thousand residents of the sector died as a result of the Israeli offensive.
• Last November, Israel and Hamas agreed on a short humanitarian truce. Then, in exchange for the resumption of humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip and the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, it was possible to return about 130 hostages – both Israelis and foreigners. However, further negotiations reached an impasse due to Hamas’s demands for a complete ceasefire.