Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a press briefing, Dec. 30, 2023 (Photo: Screenshot)
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu carefully hinted at the possibility for another deal with the Hamas terror group to release some of the Israeli hostages on Saturday evening.
Netanyahu gave the press briefing alone, after the other war cabinet members, Minister Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, declined to participate in what is widely being interpreted as another sign of increasing tensions between the three.
Media reports last week suggested that Hamas has been showing greater readiness for another hostage deal and lowered its conditions for it.
“Hamas has issued all kinds of ultimatums that we’ve not accepted,” Netanyahu said, adding that he would agree to a possible deal if Israel’s conditions would be met.
At the moment, he said, “We see a possibility, maybe, for movement… I don’t want to raise exaggerated expectations.”
He reiterated his conviction that only “a combination of military pressure and an informed approach in negotiations” would bring results.
“The war will continue for months,” the prime minister stressed. “My policy is clear: We continue to fight until the elimination of Hamas and the release of all our hostages.”
He noted that everywhere he went nowadays, the Israeli people were telling him to keep the war going. “I hear it from the families of fallen heroes, from the wounded, and from the commanders,” he said.
Netanyahu said that the army had scored some successes in the fighting so far, including the killing of some 8,000 terrorists but added that Israel had also paid “a painful price.”
Over the weekend, the death toll from the IDF’s ground operation rose to 170 as the army announced the deaths of two more soldiers.
The question of what the Gaza Strip will look like after the war has been raised repeatedly in recent weeks, especially by Israel’s American allies.
Netanyahu said that the issue had been discussed eight times already by the National Security Council (Malal) and will be brought before the cabinet this coming week.
Asked if he planned to resign at some point, the prime minister stressed that he was completely focused on destroying Hamas at the moment. “The only thing I’m going to resign from is Hamas,” he said.
He also briefly commented on the other fronts facing Israel at this time.
The Israeli army landed “harsh blows” against Hezbollah, Netanyahu said, warning that “If Hezbollah expands the war – it will absorb blows that it has not dreamed of, and Iran as well.”
He emphasized that Iran is leading the “axis of evil” and orchestrating its attacks against Israel.
“We are acting against Iran all the time, everywhere, and I will not go into details… the goal that I have been working toward for many years, even now, remains as is: To do absolutely everything to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.”
“Regarding the Houthis – I spoke with many leaders about the need to form an international coalition to safeguard freedom of international navigation… In any case, we will not allow this threat to harm the citizens of Israel or the Israeli economy.”