Israel describes a permanent cease-fire in Gaza as a ‘nonstarter,’ undermining Biden’s proposal

[Pelican Press 0]

******* describes a permanent cease-***** in Gaza as a ‘nonstarter,’ undermining Biden’s proposal

TEL AVIV, ******* (AP) — *******’s prime minister on Saturday called a permanent cease-***** in Gaza a “nonstarter” until long-standing conditions for ending the war are met, appearing to undermine a proposal that U.S. President Joe Biden had announced as an ******** one.

The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office came a day after Biden outlined the plan, and as families of ******** hostages held by ****** called for all parties to immediately accept the proposal. A major demonstration in ******* on Saturday night urged the government to act now.

And a ****** statement by mediators the U.S., Egypt and Qatar pressed ******* and ******, saying the proposed deal “offers a road map for a permanent cease-***** and ending the crisis” and gives immediate relief to both the hostages and Gaza residents.

But Netanyahu’s statement said that “*******’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: the destruction of ******’ military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to *******. Under the proposal, ******* will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent cease-***** is put in place.”

In a separate statement, Netanyahu accepted an invitation from U.S. congressional leaders to deliver an address at the Capitol, a show of wartime support for *******. No date has been set.

Biden on Friday asserted that ****** is “no longer capable” of carrying out a large-scale ******* on ******* like the one by the militant group in October that started the war. He urged ******* and ****** to reach an agreement to release about 100 remaining hostages, along with the bodies of around 30 more, for an extended cease-*****.

Cease-***** talks halted last month after a push by the U.S. and other mediators to secure a deal in hopes of averting a full-scale ******** invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. ******* says the Rafah operation is key to uprooting ****** fighters responsible for the Oct. 7 *******.

******* on Friday confirmed its troops were operating in central parts of the city. The ground ******** has led around 1 million Palestinians to leave Rafah and thrown humanitarian operations into turmoil. The World Food Program has called living conditions “horrific and apocalyptic” as hunger grows.

Families of hostages said that time was running out.

“This might be the last chance to save lives,” Gili Roman told The Associated Press. His sister, Yarden Roman-Gat, was freed during a weeklong cease-***** in November, but sister-in-law Carmel is still held. “Our leadership must not disappoint us. But mostly, all eyes should be on ******,” Roman said.

Families described an aggressive meeting Thursday with *******’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, who told them the government wasn’t ready to sign a deal to bring all hostages home and there was no plan B.

Hanegbi said this week he expects the war to continue another seven months to ******** ******’ military and governing capabilities.

Many hostages’ families accuse the government of a lack of will.

“We know that the government of ******* has done an awful lot to delay reaching a deal, and that has cost the lives of many people who survived in captivity for weeks and weeks and months and months,” Sharone Lifschitz said. Her mother, Yocheved, was freed in November but her father, Oded, is still held.

The first phase of the deal proposed by Biden would last for six weeks and include a “full and complete cease-*****,” a withdrawal of ******** forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older people and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of ************ prisoners.

The second phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and the withdrawal of ******** forces from Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from the war’s devastation.

Biden acknowledged that keeping the proposal on track would be difficult, with “details to negotiate” to move from the first phase to the second. Biden said if ****** fails to fulfil its commitment under the deal, ******* can resume military operations.

****** has said it viewed the proposal “positively” and called on ******* to declare an explicit commitment to an agreement that includes a permanent cease-*****, a complete withdrawal of ******** troops from Gaza, a prisoner exchange and other conditions.

In Deir al-Balah, where many Palestinians have fled following *******’s ******** on Rafah, there was some hope.

“This proposal came late, but better late than never,” said Akram Abu Al-Hasan.

The main difference from previous proposals is the readiness to stop the war for an undefined *******, according to analysts. It leaves ******* the option to renew the war and diminish ******’ ability to govern, but over time, said Michael Milshtein, head of the ************ Studies Forum in Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University.

“It was a very good speech … it seems that Biden is trying to force it on the ******** government. He was clearly speaking directly to the ******** people,” said Gershon Baskin, director for the Middle East at the International Communities Organization.

Also on Saturday, Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News said officials from Egypt, the ******* States and ******* would meet in Cairo over the weekend about the Rafah crossing, which has been closed since ******* took over the ************ side in May.

The crossing is a main way for aid to enter Gaza. Egypt has refused to open its side, fearing the ******** control will remain permanent. Egypt wants Palestinians to be in charge again.

******’ ******* on Oct. 7 ******* around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. More than 36,370 Palestinians have been ******* in Gaza by *******’s campaign of bombardment and offensives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.

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Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, and Samy Magdy in Cairo, Egypt, contributed to this report.

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