Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
A senior Israeli official said Monday that Israel will not accept a five-year ceasefire deal proposed by Hamas, even if it includes the return of all hostages held in Gaza. The proposal, reportedly backed by some Arab states, was described by Israel as a dangerous "hudna" that would allow Hamas to rearm and regroup.
“There is no chance we will agree to a truce that enables Hamas to rebuild and continue its war against Israel with greater force,” the official said.
1 View gallery
Peace deal seems far off
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)
Israel emphasized that its current gradual military approach in Gaza, rather than full-scale operations following the latest ceasefire, was intended to preserve chances for a hostage deal. “We are still trying to exhaust efforts to reach an agreement, but our patience is not unlimited,” the official said.
The Hamas offer reportedly included the release of all hostages in a single phase in exchange for a long-term truce. However, Israel is maintaining its demand for Hamas’ dismantlement and has criticized Qatari mediation efforts as “not helpful.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
"The Qataris have had a negative influence in the negotiations now," according to the senior official. In addition, Israel admitted that, despite US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Gazans, "the departure is still not large. We have requests from Western countries that want to take their citizens out, for example, Canada contacted us and said that there are family members who want to come out. Our principles are to take out people who want to leave of their own free will, and on the other side, where there are countries that want to absorb them."
live
Israel denies involvement in setting off the explosions at Iran's Bandar Abbas port
On the Iranian front, the official affirmed close coordination with the U.S., noting alignment with Washington's goal to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He dismissed any Israeli involvement in last week’s massive explosion at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, which Tehran has partially blamed on Israel.
Domestically, families of the hostages expressed outrage at what they described as the government's lack of a clear strategy for their loved ones’ release. “Once again, the ‘senior official’ tells us what they won’t do—but not what they will,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said. They urged Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office to meet with families directly.