Israel will carry out an operation against Hamas in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, regardless of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday (30).
“The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all objectives is out of the question,” Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.
Israel is waiting for Hamas to respond to its proposal to halt fighting in Gaza and return Israeli hostages before sending a delegation to Cairo to continue negotiations, a person close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.
With the arrival of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, following a visit to Riyadh to help broker a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, pressure has been growing for a deal to stop the war.
Expectations that a deal could be in sight have risen in recent days following a new Egyptian-led effort to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
But so far, there is little sign of agreement on the most fundamental difference between the two sides: Hamas' demand that any deal guarantee a troop withdrawal and a permanent end to the Israeli operation in Gaza.
“We cannot tell our people that the occupation will continue or that the fighting will resume after Israel recovers its prisoners,” said a Palestinian official from a group allied with Hamas.
“Our people want this aggression to end,” he added.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
