Netanyahu: The Gaza Agreement Must Allow Israel To Continue Fighting Until The Goals Of War Are Achieved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu/PHOTO via Instagram @b.netanyahu

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong statement regarding the ceasefire in Gaza. He said any Gaza ceasefire deal should allow Israel to continue fighting until its goals are reached. Netanyahu's statement follows the resumption of US plans to end the nine-month war in Gaza. Five days after Hamas received an important part of the plan, two officials from the Palestinian militant group said they were waiting for Israel's response to its latest proposal. Netanyahu is scheduled to hold consultations on Sunday evening regarding the next steps in negotiating a three-stage plan presented in May by US President Joe Biden and is being mediated by Qatar and Egypt. It aims to end the war and release about 120 Israeli hostages detained in Gaza. A Hamas source told Reuters on Sunday, July 7, Hamas had dropped the main demand that Israel first commit to a permanent ceasefire before signing the agreement. Instead, it will allow negotiations to reach it during the first phase of six weeks. But Netanyahu insisted. The deal must not prevent Israel from continuing the battle until its war goals are met. These goals were set at the beginning of the war as the demolition of the military's capabilities and the Hamas government, as well as returning the hostages. "The plan that has been agreed upon by Israel and welcomed by President Biden will allow Israel to return hostages without violating other war goals," Netanyahu said. The deal, he said, should also prohibit the smuggling of weapons into Hamas through the Gaza-Egypt border and not allow thousands of armed militants to return to northern Gaza. US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns will meet with Qatar's prime minister and Israel and Egypt's intelligence chief on Wednesday in Doha, said a source familiar with the matter who asked not to be further identified. Burns is also expected to visit Cairo this week, along with the Israeli delegation, Egyptian Al Qahera News TV reported on Sunday, citing high-ranking sources. A Palestinian official close to the talks said the proposal could lead to a framework agreement if adopted by Israel, and would end the war.

"We have submitted our response to the mediators and are awaiting an occupational response," one of the two Hamas officials told Reuters, asking not to be named. Other Palestinian officials familiar with the ceasefire discussions said Israel was in talks with Qatar and that the response was expected within days.