“Tal didn’t happen”, declared Benjamin Netanyahu in a video message, in which he defended the decision to take control of the border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, announced today by Tel Aviv, stating that the Israeli army had managed to harm the capabilities of the Palestinian Islamist group by denying it an “essential” passage.
Netanyahu reiterated that the proposal accepted by the Palestinian group, which foresees several phases of releasing hostages and prisoners until “lasting calm” is achieved, is far from satisfying Israel’s demands.
However, he explained that he had instructed the Israeli negotiating delegation to seek an agreement that meets “the essential requirements to guarantee Israel’s security.”
Netanyahu’s arguments come at a time when a new round of negotiations for a global truce in the Gaza Strip begins in Cairo, with the participation of delegations from Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Hamas, with the Israeli prime minister confirming that a representation of Tel Aviv is already on the way.
Netanyahu said he had instructed the delegation to “continue to be firm on the conditions necessary for the release” of hostages held since October 7, 2023 in the Gaza Strip, as well as on the “essential” conditions to guarantee Israel’s security.
In the video message, the Israeli prime minister maintained that the military’s seizure of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing is an “important step” towards dismantling Hamas’ military and economic capabilities.
For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, during a meeting with troops on the Gaza border, that the military operation in Rafah will not stop until Hamas is completely eliminated from the area or until the first hostage be released.
“We are willing to make concessions to free the hostages, but if this option is not available, we will intensify the operation,” said the minister, according to a statement from his office, cited by international agencies.
The Israeli army’s seizure of the Gaza part of the Rafah border crossing threatens to leave the thousands of displaced Palestinians in the south of the enclave with an even greater lack of humanitarian assistance, as the two main southern entrances (Rafah and Kerem Shalom) are closed.
All humanitarian organizations repeat that there is no safe zone in Gaza and, in recent hours, they have insisted that al-Mawasi, east of Rafah, where Israel ordered the evacuation of thousands of Palestinians, does not have the infrastructure or resources to deal with a mass displacement.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas declared on Monday that it had accepted a truce project presented by Egypt and Qatar.
The seizure of the border crossing, which is one of the main channels for sending humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave, puts Israel in full control of Gaza’s borders for the first time since the withdrawal of troops in 2005.
The truce proposal accepted on Monday by Hamas includes a three-phase ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, but would still have to be approved by Israel.
In the first phase, a suspension of hostilities would be applied for 40 days with the possibility of extension, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the east of the Gaza Strip and away from densely populated areas.
The proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar also envisages the return of displaced people to their homes, according to the television channel Al-Jazeera (based in Qatar) and the Egyptian state television station Al-Qahera News, very close to the country’s secret services. .
From the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas would release three hostages every three days, while Israel would release “a corresponding number of Palestinian prisoners”, yet to be agreed.
The second phase of the agreement included Israel’s “permanent end to military operations” in the Gaza Strip.
In the second and third phases of the agreement, indirect negotiations would take place with Israel, through the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, on “the conditions” for the next hostage exchanges for Palestinian prisoners.
[Notícia atualizada às 18h09]
Read Also: Israel approves offensive in Rafah and continuation of negotiations with Hamas
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2555733/proposta-do-hamas-visava-impedir-entrada-das-tropas-israelitas-em-rafah
