Jerusalem.- Brushing aside pleas from allies and demands from Israeli protesters for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday pledged to maintain an Israeli troop presence along the Egypt-Gaza border, a controversial plan that appeared to diminish, if not eliminate, the chances of a truce.
In his first news conference since the bodies of six slain hostages were recovered over the weekend, Netanyahu told reporters Monday night that to ensure security, Israel needs to tighten control of the border in Gaza, known as the Philadelphia Corridor, calling it vital to Hamas.
Hamas has said the occupation of the corridor makes truce negotiations impossible.
“If we leave, we will not be able to return,” Netanyahu said of the corridor, as a huge crowd protested near his private residence in Jerusalem on Monday night.
Netanyahu made the comments a day after the Israeli military announced that six hostages had been found dead in a tunnel beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a discovery that sparked mourning and anger inside Israel and prompted mass protests and a widespread work stoppage.
Hours before Netanyahu spoke on Monday night, two close allies of Israel expressed their impatience with the direction of the war in Gaza.
President Biden condemned Netanyahu’s unwillingness to commit to reaching a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages.
When reporters asked him a series of questions about whether the Israeli prime minister was doing enough to reach a deal for the return of the hostages, he simply replied, “No.”
Britain has announced it will suspend the export of some weapons to Israel, a significant hardening of its stance on the Gaza war under the new Labour government.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the decision was based on a legal review which concluded there was a “clear risk” the weapons could be used to breach international law.
#Netanyahu #remains #firm #terms #ceasefire
