Israeli Prime Minister declines Biden’s plan for permanent ceasefire saying the war is « far from over. »
The feasibility of a U.S.-backed proposal to end the eight-month-long conflict in Gaza was thrown into doubt on Monday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his willingness to agree only to a « partial » ceasefire.
Netanyahu’s comments, aired in an interview with the conservative Israeli on Sunday, have ignited a backlash from the families of hostages held by Hamas.
Netanyahu stated he was « prepared to make a partial deal—this is no secret—that will return to us some of the people », referring to the approximately 120 hostages still detained in Gaza. « But we are committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I’m not willing to give up on that », he added.
These remarks come as a surprise after U.S. President Joe Biden presented the plan as an Israeli initiative, referred to by some in Israel as « Netanyahu’s deal. » His comments could further strain U.S.-Israel relations, as the U.
