Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured this Sunday that “the intense phase of the war with Hamas is about to end.” He said this in an interview with Channel 14 on Israeli television, in which he immediately clarified that “that does not mean the war will end” until “the goal of eliminating Hamas” is achieved. according to CNN. These statements from Netanyahu come after one of Israel's bloodiest days in Gaza This weekend he killed at least 150 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli president has indicated that he is willing to reach “a partial agreement” with Hamas to return some hostages and that when “the intense phase” of the war in Rafah ends, Israel will be able to deploy more troops on its northern border . with Lebanon. “Firstly for safety reasons and secondly to bring our residents home. If we can do it politically, that would be fantastic. If not, we will do it differently, but we will bring everyone back home, all the residents of the north and the south,” he said.
“If there is an agreement [para poner fin a la guerra]“It will be an agreement on our terms,” Netanyahu emphasized. “Our conditions are not to end the war, leave Gaza and leave Hamas intact. I refuse to leave Hamas untouched. We must eliminate them,” he reiterated.
Many Israeli towns near the Lebanese border have been evacuated during the fighting. In Sunday's interview, the Israeli prime minister also emphasized that he rejects the idea that the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, governs Gaza instead of Hamas.
Since the Hamas attacks in October, the Israeli army has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to data from Gaza's Health Ministry. This weekend alone, Israel has killed at least 150 Palestinians: 48 people were killed this Saturday in attacks on three residential areas in Gaza City, adding to the more than 100 casualties counted since Friday afternoon.
This weekend too, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to demonstrate against their government one of the most massive anti-Netanyahu protests in the countrywhom they ask to resign and reach an agreement with Hamas on the release of the hundred Israeli hostages who remain captive in the Gaza Strip.