Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected today, Sunday, the conditions put forth by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" to end the war and release the hostages, which include a complete Israeli withdrawal and leaving the movement in power in Gaza. Netanyahu stated in a statement: "In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all murderers and rapists... and to not harm Hamas." He added: "I categorically reject the conditions for surrender from the monsters of Hamas."
In this context, Netanyahu confirmed that "we continue the war on all fronts and in all sectors, and we will not grant immunity to any enemy, neither in Gaza, nor in Lebanon, nor in Syria, nor anywhere else. Whoever attempts to target us will be targeted."
Netanyahu mentioned, according to a statement from his media office: "As for our captives, we have so far brought back 110 hostages, and we are committed to returning them all. This is one of the goals of the war, and military pressure is a fundamental condition to achieve this. I work around the clock to achieve it, but let it be clear: I categorically reject the surrender conditions set by Hamas."
He indicated that "in exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands an end to the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of elite forces prisoners, and the maintenance of Hamas in power. If we agreed to that, our fighters would have fallen in vain, and we would not be able to ensure the security of our citizens, nor could we safely return the evacuated citizens to their homes, and October 7th will only be a matter of time."
Netanyahu affirmed that "I am not willing to accept such a dangerous encroachment on Israel's security, and therefore we will not agree to this. The conditions set by Hamas clarify a simple truth that there is no alternative to victory; absolute victory alone will ensure the annihilation of Hamas and the return of all our hostages. I conveyed this to U.S. President Joe Biden in our phone call over the weekend."
He continued: "I highly value U.S. support for Israel, and I expressed that to President Biden. However, I firmly insisted on our vital interests. I assured President Biden of our determination to achieve all the war's objectives and to guarantee that Gaza will never pose a threat to Israel, so I insist that after we achieve absolute victory and eliminate Hamas, Gaza must be demilitarized and placed under complete Israeli security control."
Netanyahu added: "I will not compromise on establishing complete Israeli security control over all the territories west of the Jordan River. As the Prime Minister of Israel, I insisted on this position in the face of immense international and internal pressures. My insistence has thwarted the establishment of a Palestinian state that would pose an existential threat to Israel for many years. As long as I hold the position of Prime Minister, I will continue to firmly uphold this stance. If someone has a different position, they must demonstrate leadership and honestly announce their position to the Israeli citizens."
