Despite US President Joe Biden saying that Israel had proposed a three-phase deal for a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no permanent ceasefire unless Hamas is destroyed.
With reports of the deaths of four more Israeli hostages, Israel had shown readiness to pause hostilities if and only if its conditions were met.
The three-phase proposal unveiled by Biden includes a six-week ceasefire in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza followed by the release of all hostages, a permanent "cessation of hostilities" and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.
Netanyahu in a meeting with Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on June 3, said "Israel's conditions for ending the war have not changed: The destruction of Hamas' military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”
He reiterated that until these conditions are met, a permanent ceasefire is out of the question.
The recent statement by Netanyahu aligns with the Israeli government’s previous uncompromising stance on ceasefire talks, which raises doubts whether Biden’s proposal will be achieved or not.
Hamas has agreed to “positively and constructively” engage with the proposal if Israel “clearly announces commitment to such deal.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s ministers have threatened to quit and collapse the governing coalition if he agrees to a Gaza ceasefire proposal.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have said they oppose to striking any ceasefire deal before the destruction of Hamas.
The Israeli PM is also facing angry protesters who are extremely frustrated over his failure to bring back hostages taken by Hamas on October 7.
But Yair Lapid, the opposition leader, has shown his backing to Netanyahu saying “he has our safety net for a hostage deal if Ben-Gvir and Smotrich leave the government.”
