Following its conflict with Hamas, Israel will maintain “overall security responsibility” in Gaza “for an indefinite period,” according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Additionally, according to Reuters, he said that Israel will take into account “tactical little pauses” in the combat in Gaza to permit the entrance of humanitarian assistance or the release of captives held by Hamas terrorists.
However, it said that the Israeli prime minister reaffirmed his nation’s opposition to a ceasefire until all prisoners in the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas were freed.
According to the report, Netanyahu made the remarks in response to a question on who should lead Gaza after hostilities have ended during an appearance on US television.
“I think Israel will for an indefinite period will have the overall security responsibility because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t have that security responsibility,” Netanyahu said in the article.
Following a horrific gun spree in southern Israel last month that claimed 1,400 lives and kidnapped 240 more, Israel initiated an air and military battle against Hamas.
The health officials in Gaza claim that at least 10,000 people have died as a result of Israeli shelling.
A ceasefire has been pushed back by both Israel and Hamas in response to growing international pressure.
While Hamas claims it would neither liberate the prisoners or cease fighting while Gaza is being attacked, Israel has demanded that Hamas release the hostages first.
When asked if he would be amenable to a humanitarian halt in Gaza, Netanyahu said, according to the article, “Well, there’ll be no ceasefire, no general ceasefire in Gaza without the release of our hostages.”
“Tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there, we’ve had them before,” he said. I guess we’ll assess the situation to see if we can free our hostages—individual hostages or humanitarian supplies—to go.”