Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that while a temporary ceasefire may be possible to facilitate the return of captives, a complete halt to the war is not feasible.
“We can pause the fighting for 42 days to bring back the captives, but we cannot stop the war. Our enemies, including Iran, are watching us, waiting to see if we will surrender,” Netanyahu stated in a closed-door meeting with the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as reported by Israel Hayom.
Israel Peace Deal
Jerrymusa.com reports that Netanyahu also highlighted discrepancies between the Israeli proposal and US President Joe Biden’s version of the peace deal, citing “gaps” between the two. “The war will stop temporarily to bring back hostages, and then we will hold discussions.
“There are additional details that the US president did not present to the public,” Netanyahu explained. This comes after Biden unveiled a three-stage settlement plan for the Gaza Strip on May 31, which he attributed to Israel.
The tensions in the Middle East escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack into Israeli territory, prompting a robust response from Israel. The conflict has since expanded to the West Bank, with ongoing clashes and airstrikes in the region.