2024-02-07T18:03:58+00:00
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/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he had directed the army to prepare for action in the city of Rafah, noting that “surrendering” to Hamas’s conditions would bring “catastrophe” to Israel.
He added, in press statements, “We are on our way to a decisive victory to eliminate Hamas and return all the kidnapped, and our soldiers also say that they will not return until they win this war.”
He pointed out that “achieving the war’s goals is a matter of months and there is no turning back from victory in it,” stressing that “there is no solution other than a decisive victory and that Hamas will not remain in Gaza again.”
Netanyahu continued, “I told Blinken that we are close to achieving victory, and this victory is for everyone and will have repercussions in the Middle East,” noting that “surrendering to Hamas’ demands will not lead to the release of the kidnapped, and military pressure is a condition for achieving this. Rather, surrendering to its conditions will bring disaster to Israel.”
“We did not abide by any promises in the proposed deal and negotiations are ongoing,” he said.
He also indicated that he “instructed the army to prepare for action in Rafah.”
A source in Netanyahu’s office said, according to the BBC, that “Hamas is demanding that Israel withdraw its forces in order to cease fire, something that Israel will never agree to,” according to what was reported by the Russian Sputnik.
The source added, “Israel is studying the proposal, but is pessimistic about it. Hamas’ proposal is scheduled to be discussed in the Israeli government on Wednesday, and in the military council on Thursday.”
For its part, Channel 13 quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that “many of the demands included in Hamas’ proposal to stop the war cannot be accepted under any circumstances.”
The official, whose name was not revealed by the Israeli channel, said, “The question being discussed now is whether these demands will be rejected completely, or whether further negotiations will be entered into in an attempt to mitigate them.”
This morning, Wednesday, the Palestinian Hamas movement presented a “three-stage ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip.”
According to a draft of the movement’s response document to the mediators, published by the media, “the first phase will last for 45 days and includes the release of non-military Israeli detainees in exchange for a specific number of Palestinian prisoners.” This phase also includes “the start of indirect talks on the requirements necessary to restore complete calm.”
The proposed third phase, also for 45 days, includes the exchange of bodies and remains between the two sides, according to the document.
Hamas had stated in a statement that it had delivered its response regarding the framework agreement in Paris to Qatar and Egypt, after completing the leadership consultations in the movement and with the resistance factions.
The statement added: “The movement dealt with the proposal in a positive spirit that guarantees a comprehensive and complete ceasefire, ending the aggression against our people, ensuring relief, shelter, reconstruction, lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, and completing a prisoner exchange process.”
Israel has not yet issued any public response, although it has said it will not withdraw its forces from Gaza until Hamas is eliminated.