Israel PM Netanyahu rejects Hamas’ call to end Gaza war

TEL AVIV: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a proposal by Hamas militants to end the war in Gaza that now is in its fourth month.

“In exchange for the release of our hostages,” the Israeli leader said in a statement, “Hamas demands the end of the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all the murderers and rapists. And leaving Hamas intact.”

“I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

Hamas on Sunday defended its October 7 terror attack on Israel but admitted to “faults” and called for an end to “Israeli aggression” in Gaza.

In its first public report on the attack that began the war, the militant group said it was a “necessary step” against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, and a way to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners.

In late November, in a deal brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, more than 100 of the estimated 240 hostages who were taken captive to Gaza during the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, were freed in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Since that deal ended, Netanyahu has faced mounting pressure from within Israel and from some world leaders to secure the release of the 136 hostages who remain in captivity, perhaps two dozen of whom have died or been killed.

Some world leaders, but not U.S. President Joe Biden, have called for an immediate cease-fire in the fighting.

About 1,200 Israelis were killed in the initial attack, and, according to Hamas health officials, more than 25,000 in Gaza during Israel’s counteroffensive, including civilians and militants.

Netanyahu in recent days has also taken a strong position against Palestinian statehood to stabilize the volatile Mideast and prevent the spread of the Israel-Hamas war throughout the region.

Biden and other American officials have called for Palestinian statehood.

“I will not compromise on full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River,” he said.

(VOA)