Netanyahu reiterates support for Biden ceasefire proposal as demonstrations continue
The prime minister is facing mounting pressure from families of hostages who accuse him of abandoning their loved ones in Gaza
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his support for U.S. President Biden’s ceasefire proposal which would see the release of all hostages in return for ending the war with Hamas.
“Regarding the sacred mission of freeing our hostages: There is no change in Israel’s position on the release outline that President Biden has welcomed. Today, everyone knows a simple truth: Hamas is the only obstacle to the release of our hostages. With the combination of diplomatic and military pressure, the latter first and foremost, we will return them all – all 120 hostages, the living and the deceased,” Netanyahu said on Sunday during a cabinet meeting.
The prime minister did however also repeat his vow to “eliminate Hamas” which seems to contradict the ceasefire proposal where Israel would withdraw all its forces from Gaza.
“We are committed to fighting until we achieve all of our objectives: Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel and returning our residents securely to their homes in the south and the north. To whoever doubts the achieving of these goals, I reiterate: There is no substitute for victory. We will not end the war until we achieve all of these goals,” he said.
While Hamas initially welcomed Biden’s 3-stage ceasefire proposal, the terror group later dismissed it and has failed to agree to the details since then.
The ceasefire proposal was accepted by Israel’s war cabinet, but the final agreement would be subject to a vote in the security cabinet.
Mass demonstrations against Netanyahu continue to rage across Israel, with increasing clashes between protestors and police.
An investigation into a police officer was opened following a demonstration in Jerusalem over the weekend where he told a demonstrator: “I’ll rape your mother.”
The Department for Internal Police Investigations (DIPI) announced on Sunday it had opened an investigation into the police officer who was filmed making the threat against the demonstrator.
In Tel Aviv, Labor MK Naama Lazimi was also filmed being forcefully removed from a demonstration by police officers.
“This is the government’s police and not a public police, but they won’t scare me or us. The police will be restored and rebuilt,” she later said.
Demonstrators also gathered outside the Histadrut labour federation on Saturday, calling on the chairman to impose a general strike to paralyse the economy.
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