Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that despite Hamas’ attempt to “torpedo” the Israeli military offensive in Rafah by agreeing to a ceasefire deal, the group failed to achieve its goal. In a statement, Netanyahu reaffirmed that as demonstrated on past occasions, “military pressure” against Hamas is necessary to achieve the release of more hostages. The prime minister insisted on stressing that the Rafah operation which has received global criticism intends to “eliminate” the militia. “Israel will not allow Hamas to restore its evil rule in the Gaza Strip, Israel will not allow it to restore its military capabilities to continue striving for our destruction. Israel cannot accept a proposal that endangers the security of our citizens and the future of our country. Therefore, I instructed the labor ranks that went to Cairo: continue to stand firm on the conditions necessary for the release of our abductees, […] for guaranteeing Israel’s security”, he noted.
Hamas warns ceasefire talks are ‘last chance’
The upcoming round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Cairo is the “last chance” for the Israeli government to retrieve hostages held in Gaza, an unnamed Hamas official told the Times of Israel on Tuesday. Earlier today, Hamas’s military wing said an Israeli hostage died as a result of Israel’s shelling of Gaza. Despite previous signs that ceasefire talks could lead to a deal, diplomatic efforts took a hit when Israel decided to proceed with the widely condemned Rafah offensive, capturing a vital border crossing with Egypt and cutting off one of the main aid routes into Gaza.