Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to Hamas' demands for a cease-fire and hostage-release arrangement as "delusional" on Wednesday, which made attempts to reach a compromise between the parties more difficult. Israel has been fighting Hamas for five months, and Netanyahu promised to keep going until "total triumph." According to the AP, Netanyahu made the remarks soon after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was visiting the area in an attempt to broker a truce.
At a nationally broadcast evening news conference, Netanyahu said, "We will not only not rescue the detainees, but we will welcome another slaughter if we give in to the absurd demands of Hamas that we have heard today." Netanyahu said, "We are on the path to an unequivocal triumph," and stated the operation will not take years, but rather months. "There is no other way out of this." He disapproved of any agreement that gives Hamas complete or partial authority over Gaza. Furthermore, he said that Israel is the "sole power" that can provide long-term security guarantees. Blinken had earlier said that "a lot of effort" has to be done to close the differences over parameters for any agreement between Israel and Hamas. Later on Wednesday, he was scheduled to have his own press conference.
In response, Hamas unveiled a comprehensive, three-phase plan that would take place over 4.5 months and was formulated by the US, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt. The agreement calls for the release of all hostages in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including leading terrorists, and the cessation of hostilities. One of Israel's wartime goals is to eliminate Hamas' capacity for government and armed forces; Hamas' plan would essentially keep it in control of Gaza and enable it to reassemble its armed forces. Although President Biden said that Hamas' demands are "a touch over the top," talks will nonetheless go forward.
At a nationally broadcast evening news conference, Netanyahu said, "We will not only not rescue the detainees, but we will welcome another slaughter if we give in to the absurd demands of Hamas that we have heard today." Netanyahu said, "We are on the path to an unequivocal triumph," and stated the operation will not take years, but rather months. "There is no other way out of this." He disapproved of any agreement that gives Hamas complete or partial authority over Gaza. Furthermore, he said that Israel is the "sole power" that can provide long-term security guarantees. Blinken had earlier said that "a lot of effort" has to be done to close the differences over parameters for any agreement between Israel and Hamas. Later on Wednesday, he was scheduled to have his own press conference.
In response, Hamas unveiled a comprehensive, three-phase plan that would take place over 4.5 months and was formulated by the US, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt. The agreement calls for the release of all hostages in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including leading terrorists, and the cessation of hostilities. One of Israel's wartime goals is to eliminate Hamas' capacity for government and armed forces; Hamas' plan would essentially keep it in control of Gaza and enable it to reassemble its armed forces. Although President Biden said that Hamas' demands are "a touch over the top," talks will nonetheless go forward.
