We will not withdraw our forces from the Gaza Strip - Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (photo: Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his government will not release Palestinian prisoners or withdraw forces from Gaza, according to Xinhua.
Netanyahu mentioned receiving messages about various possible deals and emphasized that this war will not end until Israel achieves all its goals.
Netanyahu's main objectives include the elimination of Hamas, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel's security.
"We will not withdraw our forces from the Gaza Strip," added the Prime Minister of Israel.
High-ranking representatives from the intelligence services of the U.S., Qatar, Egypt, and Israel gathered for talks in Paris the day before. The discussions aimed to explore an agreement for a ceasefire. Jerusalem referred to these negotiations as constructive.
A representative from the Hamas militants stated that his movement had received and is studying the proposal that includes a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.
The war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants initiated a military attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. In the first few days, radical Islamists killed 1,200 civilians and soldiers, kidnapping around 250 individuals.
By late October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation aimed to destroy the operational and governmental capabilities of Hamas and to free hostages.
In November, following negotiations for a hostage exchange, Hamas militants released approximately 120 individuals, and Israel released a group of Palestinian prisoners. However, hostilities resumed in the region later on.
Subsequently, the Israel Defense Forces initiated a new major offensive in the western part of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The operation is accompanied by extensive combat actions.
On January 25, it became known that CIA Director William Burns would travel to Europe to work on a new agreement for the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.
