Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was ready to suspend fighting in Gaza for “a partial agreement” in exchange for the release of a number of hostages held in Gaza, but insisted the war will not end until the terrorist group is destroyed. “We are obliged to continue fighting even after the truce, to achieve our goal of destroying Hamas, I am not willing to give up on this,” he declared in the first interview given to an Israeli newspaper since October 7, released late yesterday evening by channel Channel 14, considered close to his political positions.
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The head of government also announced that the phase of intense fighting in the Gaza Strip, and in particular in Rafah, is coming to an end, but Israel is preparing for a potential flare-up. When asked whether he was willing to reach an agreement with Hamas once the high-intensity phase of the conflict was over, as part of the commitment to end the war, Netanyahu spoke clearly: «No. I am not willing to end the war and leave Hamas in its place. I’m ready to make a partial deal, it’s no secret, that would give us some people back.” As for the future of Gaza, it is “clear” that Israel will maintain “military control for the foreseeable future”, Netanyahu underlined, looking at the creation of “a civil administration, if possible with local Palestinians” and regional support “to manage humanitarian supplies and subsequently civil affairs in the Strip.” The Israeli prime minister, who opposes the return of the Palestinian National Authority to the coastal enclave, did not go into detail about the future of Gaza but said that “another plan” presented by the armed forces is being tried. However, the option of a return of Israeli settlers to the Strip, as requested by his far-right government allies, was ruled out: “It is not realistic and does not achieve the objectives of the war,” he argued.
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Looking at the northern front, on the border with Lebanon, the head of government explained that he intends to “redeploy some forces to the north… mainly for defensive purposes”. And on a potential large-scale conflict with Hezbollah, he said he hopes for a diplomatic solution, but is preparing for the possibility that it doesn’t happen: “We can fight on multiple fronts, we are prepared for this.” The objective is to physically remove the pro-Iran Shiite group from the border, in order to “bring the residents of the north back to their homes”. Urging internal “unity” against the harsh anti-government demonstrations that have started to shake the country again and pressure from the opposition, Netanyahu again avoided taking any responsibility for October 7, inviting them to focus on the war and postponing any assessment once concluded. “This is not the time to discuss it, there will be time to do so once this intense conflict is over.” After the interview, Israeli newspapers reported negative comments from sources involved in the negotiations, both on the Palestinian and Israeli side: the prime minister’s statements make it difficult to reach an agreement, they claim. The Hostages’ Families Forum also pointed the finger at his statements. “He is abandoning 120 hostages and damaging the moral duty of the State of Israel to its citizens,” the group said in a statement. But Netanyahu’s office reiterated that “Hamas is the one who opposes the deal, not Israel.”
