Deals must let Israel resume war until objectives are met: Netanyahu
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Tel Aviv: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the ceasefire in Gaza must allow his forces to resume fighting until the invasion all objectives are met, Reuters reported.
The PM's statement comes when the US plans to restart talks to end the war in the enclave, as well as Israeli protesters take to the streets with mass demonstrations demanding the stepping down of Netanyahu, ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
It has been five days since Hamas accepted a key part of the US's plan aiming for a ceasefire. Hamas said that it is waiting for Israel's response to its latest proposal.
On Sunday, Netanyahu was supposed to hold consultations for further steps in negotiating the three-phase plan US President Joe Biden presented in May and mediated by Qatar and Egypt. The plan intends to end the war and free the 120 hostages Hamas held in Gaza.
Over this, Hamas dropped a key demand that Israel must first commit to a permanent ceasefire before the militant group would sign the agreement. The group would allow negotiations to achieve the same in the first six-week phase of the plan,
But Netanyahu argued on Sunday that no agreement must prevent Israel from retracting from its original objectives of offensive, such as dismantling Hamas military and its governing capabilities.
Further, the Zionist PM said that the deal must prohibit the smuggling of weapons to Hamas through the Gaza-Egypt border, and the thousands of armed militants must not return to northern Gaza.
The war was triggered by Hamas' cross-border attack on Oct. 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 others taken hostage. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 38,000 Palestinians.