Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Friday that the Gaza conflict would continue until Hamas’s capacity to govern and wage war is completely dismantled. This statement came shortly after US President Joe Biden announced that Israel had proposed a new peace roadmap.
Netanyahu’s office released a statement emphasizing the Prime Minister’s commitment to achieving the war’s objectives, including the release of all hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities. “The prime minister authorized the negotiating team to present an outline for achieving the return of hostages, while insisting that the war will not end until all of its goals are achieved,” the statement read. “The exact outline proposed by Israel, including the conditional transition from stage to stage, allows Israel to maintain these principles.”
In his first major address proposing a solution to the eight-month conflict, President Biden outlined a plan that would begin with a six-week phase, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from all populated areas of Gaza. “It’s time for this war to end, for the day after to begin,” Biden stated in a televised address from the White House, urging that “we can’t lose this moment” to seize the opportunity for peace.
The Gaza conflict was ignited by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Militants also captured 252 hostages, with 121 still held in Gaza, including 37 the Israeli army reports as deceased.
In response, Israel’s offensive has led to the deaths of at least 36,284 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
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