In a recent development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that there will be no permanent ceasefire in Gaza until the military and governing capabilities of Hamas are dismantled and all hostages are released.
This statement comes in the wake of U.S. President Joe Biden's announcement that Israel has proposed a three-stage plan to Hamas with the aim of achieving a permanent ceasefire.
A senior Hamas politician has indicated to the BBC that the organization is willing to accept the deal if Israel follows through. However, the ongoing conflict in Rafah, marked by Israeli air strikes on Saturday, underscores the uncertainty of the situation. Despite President Biden's public pressure on both Israel and Hamas to accept the plan, there is no guarantee that a deal will be reached.
In a statement released on Saturday, Mr. Netanyahu's office reiterated that Israel's "conditions for ending the war have not changed". These conditions include the destruction of Hamas's military and governing capabilities, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. The statement further emphasized that Israel would continue to insist on these conditions being met before agreeing to a permanent ceasefire.
President Biden described the plan as a comprehensive Israeli proposal that could pave the way for a permanent ceasefire. The first phase includes a complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas, and the exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners. This would be followed by the return of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers. The final phase would involve the return of the remains of any deceased Israeli hostages and a major reconstruction plan, with U.S. and international assistance, to rebuild homes, schools, and hospitals.
Hamas has long demanded a total end to the conflict as a prerequisite for engaging in talks. Following Mr. Netanyahu's reiteration of his war aims, a spokesman for Hamas said the organization would back the plan if Israel did. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau based in Qatar, told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme that the organization welcomed the plan, but the next step depended on Israel.
In response to Mr. Netanyahu's statement, Mr. Naim noted that while Israel's aims might not have changed, they had not been achieved. "If he tries to continue, he will not find anything except the readiness of the Palestinians - all Palestinians - to resist the occupation," Mr. Naim said.
President Biden acknowledged that not everyone in Israel would agree with the plan, but urged the authorities to resist the pressure. There has been no word yet from the far-right allies of Prime Minister Netanyahu, who are likely to oppose the proposal. They have previously threatened to quit the coalition, which could result in the collapse of the Netanyahu government.
However, one of Israel's most influential opposition politicians, Yair Lapid, has promised to back Mr. Netanyahu if he supports the ceasefire deal. In a post on social media, Mr. Lapid assured the Israeli PM that he "has our safety net for a hostage deal" if far-right allies such as national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich leave the government.
Israel has intensified attacks in the key city of Rafah in recent weeks, claiming operational control over the entire border with Egypt. U.S., Israeli, and Egyptian officials are due to meet in Cairo on Sunday to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing, according to Egyptian media reports.
Aid flows into Gaza have been restricted since the border was shut in early May, after Israeli forces seized control of it as part of their offensive to take control of Gaza's southern border. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that more than 36,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict. The war began in October when Hamas gunmen launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 252 back to Gaza as hostages.
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