War in the Middle East
Netanyahu rules out a general ceasefire in Gaza for the time being
Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in an interview about the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. photo
© Abir Sultan/Pool European Pressphoto Agency/AP/dpa
“Without the release of the hostages, there will be no general ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” says the Israeli Prime Minister. However, temporary ceasefires are also up for debate.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a longer one Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip ruled out for the time being. “Without the release of the hostages, there will be no general ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu told US television station ABC on Monday.
“As far as tactical pauses – an hour here, an hour there – we can assess the circumstances to bring in humanitarian supplies and bring out individual hostages. But I don’t think there will be a blanket ceasefire.”
Discussion about temporary ceasefires
Israel’s head of government had previously spoken to US President Joe Biden about temporary ceasefires in the Gaza war. They discussed the possibility of “tactical pauses” to allow civilians to leave combat areas, to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip and to enable the release of additional hostages, the White House said after the phone call on Monday . At least 240 people – including US citizens – are still in the control of the Islamist Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip.
According to Netanyahu, a general ceasefire would contradict Israel’s war aims. “That would hinder our efforts to free our hostages, because the only thing these Hamas criminals understand is the military pressure we exert,” he said in the ABC interview.