Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid out conditions for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“There will be no ceasefire, general ceasefire, in Gaza without the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu told the U.S. broadcaster ABC.
“As far as tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there.
“We have had them before, I suppose, we will check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages to leave. But I don’t think there is going to be a general ceasefire.”
The head of Israel’s government had previously discussed with U.S. President Joe Biden the potential for implementing “tactical pauses” during the Gaza war.
Following their phone conversation on Monday, the White House announced that they had explored the idea of temporary ceasefires to allow the safe evacuation of civilians from combat zones, provide humanitarian assistance to the people in the Gaza Strip, and facilitate the release of additional hostages.
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Currently, at least 240 individuals, including U.S. citizens, are being held by the Islamist group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed the view that a general ceasefire would be contrary to Israel’s war objectives.
“It will hamper our effort to get our hostages out because the only thing that works on these criminals in Hamas is the military pressure that we are exerting,” Natanyahu said in the ABC interview.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is under the control of Hamas, over 10,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip since the war began a month ago. These casualties include a significant number of women and children.
The Gaza Strip has been under strict restrictions imposed by Israel since Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli communities. This assault resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 people, including numerous women, children, and young individuals. Additionally, approximately 240 people were taken hostage during these events.