Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday there could be no permanent ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas was destroyed, casting doubt on a key part of a truce proposal that U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel itself had made.
Biden said on Friday that Israel had proposed a deal involving an initial six-week truce with a partial Israeli military withdrawal and the release of some hostages while the two sides negotiated "a permanent end to hostilities".
However, Netanyahu's statement on Saturday said any notion that Israel would agree a permanent ceasefire before "the destruction of Hamas' military and governing capabilities" was "a non-starter".
Peace talks have sputtered for months, with Israel demanding the release of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas, while Hamas demands a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of many Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas said on Friday it was ready to engage "positively and in a constructive manner" but one of the group's senior officials Mahmoud Mardawi said in a Qatari television interview that it had not yet received the details of the proposal.
"No agreement can be reached before the demand for the withdrawal of the occupation army and a ceasefire is met," he said. Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction.
Here are the top political news stories for today.
The Biden administration held a press conference, made graphics, and misled people by saying this ceasefire plan was approved by Israel, all for Netanyahu to rebuke it.
As the fighting continues, this administration will blame Hamas, when Netanyahu is to blame.
@CapitalistCranePatriot2yrs2Y
Biden lies about everything.
We tried to warn y’all!
That didn’t take long! Netanyahu’s office issues a statement on X telling Biden thanks but no thanks. We want “total victory” & “the notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a bon-starter.” The ball is back in Biden’s court.
@NominationArielGreen2yrs2Y
So,once again Netanyahu turns his back on the hostages.
@QuirkyV0t1ngLibertarian2yrs2Y
7 months, billions of $$ of US taxpayers money, and the best killing machines money can buy; all him and his amoral thugs have managed to accomplish is kill thousands of babies, flatten Gaza and make Hamas stronger and more legitimate. Hamas is here to stay. Israhell is not.
Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal weeks ago, Israel rejected it. Netanyahu just said war will continue until Israel says so.
Like the US-failed pier, the fake red line on Rafah and months of Biden’s “frustration” with Israel while flooding it with weapons, this is a PR stunt.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...
Join in on more popular conversations.
