“Totally Reject Terms Used by Hamas Monsters”: Netanyahu Remains Firm on Israeli Hostage Arrangement
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned down Hamas’ demands for a cease-fire and hostage relief that included a total departure and the Palestinian organization maintaining control over Gaza.
“I am putting in endless hours on this. To be clear, however, I completely reject the conditions of surrender offered by the Hamas terrorists,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Hamas is demanding the release of our hostages, the end of the war, the evacuation of our forces from Gaza, the release of the Nukhba murderers and rapists, and the continuation of Hamas in its current position in exchange.” “Our soldiers’ deaths would have been in vain if we had agreed to this,” he said.
More than 100 of the approximately 240 hostages who were taken to Gaza after an assault by Hamas militants on October 7 were released under an agreement mediated in late November by the US, Qatar, and Egypt in return for the release of 240 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.
Since then, Netanyahu has been under increasing pressure to gain the release of the 136 hostages who are still being held captive. This pressure includes an increasing number of demonstrations. Senior Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the Israeli leader’s unwillingness to halt the military onslaught in Gaza “means there is no chance for the return of the captives” as Israeli jets began striking Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
“MUST ACT NOW TO ADVANCE DEAL”
“Clearly state that we will not abandon civilians, soldiers, and others kidnapped in the October debacle,” Netanyahu must say, according to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum. It said that “we must advance the deal now.” “The prime minister should demonstrate leadership and openly communicate his decision to the Israeli public if he chooses to sacrifice the hostages.”
Action was requested by the relatives of the captives at a rally outside of Netanyahu’s home. The father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Jon Polin, said, “We need the government to now fix the problem that they have created and get these hostages home immediately.” Regarding the question of Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu adopted a more assertive stance than before.
He said, “I will not give up complete Israeli security control over all territory west of the Jordan River.” Speaking with Netanyahu on Friday, US President Joe Biden indicated that one way forward for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state would be to have a non-militarized administration.
NETANYAHU’S REACTION TO BIDEN
The two men disagree on the idea of the Palestinians having their own state, which Biden has supported as a means of achieving lasting peace. Netanyahu made an appearance on Saturday to refute Biden’s comments about Palestinian independence when the fight against Hamas in Gaza concludes.
Netanyahu said in a statement on Sunday that he would want “full Israeli security control over all the territory west of Jordan.” Netanyahu said that he will keep holding his ground against “internal and international pressures” to modify his stance. He said, “My insistence is what stopped the creation of a Palestinian state that would have threatened Israel’s existence for years.”
