In a news published by Sahara Reporters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined a proposed four-and-a-half-month ceasefire by Hamas in Gaza.
The plan, which included the release of hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, was rejected by Netanyahu, who believes victory is imminent in the four-month-long conflict. The proposal came in response to mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt, previously endorsed by Israel and the United States.
Netanyahu stated,
“We are on the path to total victory. Victory is within reach.”
He emphasized that only a total defeat of Hamas would lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, rejecting the ceasefire pre-condition of ending the war. The Prime Minister claimed that over half of Hamas’s armed forces had been killed or wounded during the conflict, indicating proximity to victory.
The war, sparked by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli towns in October, has seen significant casualties and displacement in Gaza. Israel’s military actions, with at least 27,500 Palestinians killed and a majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people displaced, have raised humanitarian concerns. The International Court of Justice faces a claim of genocide against Israel, which it denies.
During the sole truce in late November, 110 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.
Netanyahu said victory was within reach and only total defeat of the Hamas would make Isreal to vacate its forces from Gaza
“We are on the path to total victory. Victory is within reach,” he said at a televised press briefing posted by Reuters and seen on X by SaharaReporters.
He continued: “Only total victory will allow us to restore security in Israel, both in the north and in the south.”
Netanyahu said Israel’s military had killed or wounded more than half of Hamas’s armed forces in the four months of war and this indicated that they are close to victory.