By Quds News Network
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clarified that the occupation state will resume the genocide in Gaza even if a deal is reached with Hamas, reported Yedioth Ahronoth. A senior political source stated that any agreement will not mark the end of the war, as Israel remains committed to ‘achieving all its objectives’.
The comments were justified by claims from senior Israeli security officials about the lack of a post-war governance plan for Gaza. These officials said that without an alternative to Hamas, the situation could revert to the conditions prior to October 7.
Netanyahu emphasizes that Israel’s primary goal is to eliminate Hamas entirely. “Even if a deal is reached, Israel will return to fighting to complete the war’s objectives,” the political source confirmed. The source added that the issue of the so-called “the day after” Gaza is being discussed in appropriate forums and that Netanyahu’s policy ensures no presence of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s civil governance.
“Thanks to the prime minister’s determined strategy, Israel has achieved significant victories, safeguarded its security, and will meet all war objectives,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio quoted sources saying that while negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal are not frozen, there have been no new developments. The sources revealed that the Israeli army continues to exert military pressure on Hamas’, a term that Israel usually uses to describe its brutal attacks on civilians, despite the failure of this strategy in recent months.
Hamas leader Osama Hamdan stated that the movement has shown maximum flexibility in negotiations but maintains conditions. These include ending the aggression, a complete Israeli withdrawal, unrestricted aid delivery, and reconstruction.
In an interview with Al-Aqsa TV, Hamdan stated that Israel is reneging on agreements at every stage of the talks. He said Israel insists on two non-negotiable points: refusing a full withdrawal from Gaza and continuing its military aggression.
Hamdan also dismissed Israeli claims of destroying Hamas’s capabilities. He said the resistance remains strong and continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. “The scenes broadcast by the resistance show only a fraction of the heroism displayed by the Palestinian people,” he added.
Prisoner exchange negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have repeatedly stalled. This is due to Netanyahu’s insistence on controlling the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egypt border, Rafah crossing, and blocking the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza. Israel demands thorough inspections of returnees via the Nitzarim area in central Gaza.
Hamas, however, stands firm on its demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a full cessation of the war before accepting any deal.
Israel currently holds over 10,300 Palestinian detainees, while Hamas estimates that around 100 Israeli prisoners remain in Gaza. Hamas also says that dozens of Israeli prisoners have been killed in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has launched an ongoing genocide in Gaza, supported by the United States. Over 153,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, most of them women and children. More than 11,000 are still missing, amidst unprecedented destruction and a worsening humanitarian disaster.
31 December 2024
Source: countercurrents.org