Fight until total victory
Netanyahu rejects Hamas’ “delusional” demands
March 4, 2024, 1:17 a.m
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The USA, Egypt and Qatar are calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and Israel are demanding this. Netanyahu clearly rejects that of the Islamists. He also couldn’t say whether there would be an agreement in the next few days. It is still too early for that.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again called for Hamas to give in before further negotiations on a new ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of more hostages. “We are making great efforts to be successful, but one thing is clear to you – we will not capitulate to Hamas’ delusional demands,” the right-wing head of government said in a speech in Tel Aviv.
On the same day, another meeting of the mediating states USA, Qatar and Egypt took place in Cairo, but Israel – unlike Hamas – initially stayed away. Israel is initially demanding that the Islamists provide, among other things, a list of the hostages they still hold alive. Netanyahu made it clear that it was too early to say whether there would be a concept for a deal in the next few days.
Fight until victory
Israel also wants to know whether Hamas will agree to the number of Palestinian prisoners that would be released in exchange for hostages, as stated in the mediators’ latest proposal. Media reports recently said that 40 hostages could be exchanged for 400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Netanyahu said he had not yet received an answer to his questions. He rejects “international pressure to end the war” before Israel has achieved all its goals.
With or without a new agreement, “we will fight until total victory,” Netanyahu affirmed. The stalemate in the difficult indirect negotiations could pose a problem for mediators’ efforts to reach a ceasefire. The London-based Qatari daily Al Araby Al Jadid quoted a senior Hamas official as saying that his organization would not allow itself to be forced to release a list of hostages. “There is a high price to pay for this, in the form of an alleviation of the suffering of the people of Gaza and a comprehensive ceasefire,” he told the newspaper. According to US information, the mediator’s proposal only provides for a six-week ceasefire.