Aug 16, 05:42 PM

Netanyahu Ties Gaza Cease-Fire to Single-Stage Release of All Hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any further partial exchanges with Hamas, saying Jerusalem will support only a comprehensive agreement that frees every remaining hostage in a single phase. The remarks, repeated in several interviews and in statements from the prime minister’s office between 12 and 16 August, mark a hardening of Israel’s position in the stalled Gaza cease-fire negotiations. Netanyahu’s office added that an end to the war would require Hamas to surrender, all militant forces in the enclave to be disarmed, and Israel to retain security control around Gaza while a new governing authority unaligned to either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority is installed. Israeli officials said these conditions are non-negotiable and include the immediate, simultaneous return of both living and deceased captives. Roughly 50 hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 assault remain in Gaza; Israeli intelligence believes about 20 of them are alive. Hamas says it will release them only if Israel frees Palestinian prisoners, agrees to a permanent cease-fire and withdraws its forces—demands Israel has so far rejected. Diplomats from Egypt and Qatar are drafting a revised proposal aimed at bridging the gap. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo this week for what mediators described as preliminary talks. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the military is also refining operational plans to defeat Hamas and secure the hostages should negotiations fail. The fighting has continued unabated while talks drag on. Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, while the war’s initial Hamas-led attack left about 1,200 people dead in Israel. The United Nations warns that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza have reached their worst levels since the conflict began.