2024-02-16 15:04:16
The key to freeing the hostages from the Gaza Strip lies in a combination of strong military pressure and very tough negotiations. This statement was made by Prime Minister of the Jewish State Benjamin Netanyahu, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
“To date, we have released 112 abductees thanks to a combination of strong military pressure and tough negotiations. The key to the release of the remaining abductees is strong military pressure and very tough negotiations,” Netanyahu’s office released statements.
“I insist that Hamas give up its delusional demands [на переговорах]. And when it abandons these demands, we will be able to move forward,” the Israeli prime minister added.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office said that Israel, during consultations in Cairo on February 13, did not receive any new proposals from the Gaza Strip’s radical Hamas movement for a deal to free hostages held in the enclave. Earlier in the day, the Israeli portal Walla! Citing sources, it was reported that Netanyahu had decided not to send an Israeli delegation to Cairo to participate in further consultations on moving towards a deal. According to state radio station Kan, the decision not to send a delegation to Cairo for a second time on February 15 was made by the prime minister in consultations with a limited number of participants, which did not include military cabinet ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot.
On February 13, a consultation meeting was held in Cairo between representatives of Egypt, the United States, Qatar and Israel. The talks discussed a possible agreement on the release of hostages held by radicals in Gaza, as well as the prospects for establishing a ceasefire in the enclave. The consultations included the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns, the head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, David Barnea, as well as the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman Al Thani, and the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, Abbas Kamel.