Gaza: Full ceasefire not an option for Netanyahu

Israelis protest en masse on the streets of Tel Aviv, attracting over 150,000
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on the 24th of June that he would only be willing to agree to a “partial” ceasefire deal whilst reaffirming that the war in Gaza would continue, leading many to cast doubts on the feasibility of the US-backed proposal to end the eight-month long war in Gaza, according to the Arab News agency.
Such comments triggered outrage from the families of hostages still held by Hamas since the October 7th attacks whilst protests in Tel Aviv continue. Netanyahu stated in an interview on Israeli Channel 14, a right wing, conservative station, that he would return some of the hostages but that he was “committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas.”. An objective he said that he was “not willing to give up on”.
The remarks put further strain on US-Israeli relations after US President Joe Biden launched a major diplomatic push for the latest ceasefire proposal. The plan, composed of three phases, would result in the exchange of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned currently in Israel for the remaining hostages however disagreement and lack of trust between Israel and Hamas are stifling efforts for peace.
READ: Hamas accepts UN ceasefire deal, no word from Israel
The two sides remain in a deadlock over solving the conflict. Hamas insists that release of all hostages is contingent on a permanent ceasefire along with the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. On the other hand, Netanyahu seeks to destroy Hamas military and governing capabilities entirely.
Netanyahu’s denial of a permanent ceasefire reinforced Hamas’ concerns that Israel would resume with the war once all hostages and all male soldiers were returned. Hamas stated that such remarks represented an “unmistakable confirmation” that the Israeli Prime Minister has rejected the US supported deal, also backed by the United Nations Security Council. The group claims that a withdrawal of all IDF forces from Gaza along with a permanent ceasefire is an “inevitable necessity” to end the “war of extermination” against Palestinians. Netanyahu responded with a statement of his office in which he claims that Hamas opposed the deal.
The US peace plan was received well by Hamas though it requires some amendments; of which some were “workable” and others were not, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
READ: Blinken urges Israel on “clear and concrete plan” for Gaza’s future
Yesterday saw one of the biggest anti-war demonstrations in Tel Aviv with an estimated attendance of over 150,000 protestors as families of the hostages grow increasingly angered with Netanyahu. A group representing the families condemned the Prime Minister’s rejection of a ceasefire, adding that such a move was “an abandonment of the 120 hostages and a violation of the state’s moral duty towards its citizens.”.
Of the 250 hostages taken on October 7th, over 100 were released in exchange for 240 Palestinians over a truce in November. It is estimated by Israeli authorities that a third of the remaining hostages have died. As of today, the death toll for Israel’s retaliatory war stands at 37,626 with around 86,098 wounded, according to the Palestinian News and Info Agency.
Arab News and agencies