Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out accepting a ceasefire proposal that includes ending the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday.
The report comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Israeli leader on Monday to discuss efforts to reduce tensions and reach an agreement on a ceasefire and release of hostages. Blinken claimed that Netanyahu had accepted the US ceasefire proposal.
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The White House later claimed that significant progress had been made during the latest round of talks involving officials from Israel, Qatar, the US, and Egypt in the Qatari capital of Doha last week. Hamas skipped the negotiations, citing the absence of a clear plan.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Netanyahu reportedly told hostage families that a ceasefire deal may not be reached and that the Israeli military will not relinquish control of the Gazan-Egyptian border, a key demand of the Palestinian militant group.
The Hostages Families Forum quoted Netanyahu as saying that Israel “will under no circumstances leave the Philadelphia axis and the Netzer Corridor” and that he was “not sure” a deal could be struck. The group accused Netanyahu of refusing any hostage deal.
The Philadelphia Corridor runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, while the Netzarim Corridor splits the strip into a northern and southern zone.
Netanyahu has reportedly insisted on maintaining IDF troops along the Philadelphia Corridor, claiming “this is the one thing that causes Hamas to come down from its unreasonable demands.”
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Hamas on Sunday rejected the latest US proposal for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, saying it “aligns with” Netanyahu’s demands.
The military group objected to the fact that the proposal doesn’t include a permanent ceasefire or comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas claimed that Netanyahu has also reversed previous concessions and set new conditions for prisoner exchanges.
Hostilities between Israel and Hamas broke out after the militant group launched a surprise incursion into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7 of last year, resulting in the deaths of around 1,100 people, while 200 others were taken hostage. The massive Israeli military response has claimed more than 40,000 lives, while over 92,000 people have been wounded, according to Palestinian health officials.