Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the war in Gaza will not end prematurely, despite renewed diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire. Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu stated that halting the offensive at this stage would risk empowering Hamas to regroup, rebuild, and launch further attacks.
“If we end the war now, Hamas will return, recover, rebuild, and attack us again—and that is what we do not want to go back to,” he asserted.
The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s overarching objective: the complete dismantling of Hamas. This includes the eradication of its military and administrative capabilities to prevent future assaults. “The annihilation of Hamas is non-negotiable,” Netanyahu emphasized, adding that the war’s mission was still incomplete.
This position comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently acknowledged Israel’s successes in dismantling much of Hamas’s military infrastructure and eliminating its senior leadership. However, Blinken suggested it might be time to consider ending the conflict, securing the release of hostages, and planning for what follows.
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Amid ongoing hostilities, there are signs of diplomatic progress. After months of failed attempts to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages, new momentum appears to be building.
Qatar, a key mediator, announced over the weekend that recent developments—including Donald Trump’s re-election in the United States—had created fresh opportunities for negotiations.
Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar have also been praised for their collaborative efforts to mediate talks. A source close to the Hamas delegation confirmed that these nations had been instrumental in driving discussions forward, and a new round of talks could begin soon.
The plight of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack remains a critical and emotional element of the conflict. That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, most of whom were civilians, according to official data.
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Additionally, 251 individuals were kidnapped during the assault. Of those, 96 are still held in Gaza, including 34 believed to have died, according to the Israeli military.
Protests have erupted across Israel, with families of hostages and their supporters demanding a resolution. Many have accused Netanyahu’s government of prolonging the war and failing to prioritize the hostages’ release.
On Sunday, Netanyahu met with some of these families, assuring them that Israel’s campaigns against Hamas and Hezbollah would ultimately facilitate negotiations for their freedom.
The human toll of the conflict has been catastrophic. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed at least 44,758 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry, which the United Nations deems reliable. The scale of the devastation has drawn international scrutiny and heightened calls for a ceasefire.
While Israel remains resolute in its military campaign, the growing pressure from domestic protests, international mediators, and allies like the United States highlights the complexity of balancing security objectives with humanitarian concerns.
Netanyahu’s unwavering stance underscores Israel’s priority of ensuring long-term security, but it also raises questions about the path to peace in a region fraught with tension.