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Saturday, February 15, 2025

“Netanyahu Signals Shift in Gaza Strategy, Rejects Long-Term Ceasefire”

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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced that the intense phase of fighting in Gaza will soon come to an end. Instead, Israel plans to focus on more targeted operations against Hamas, the group that controls Gaza.

This information came from Netanyahu’s first interview with Israeli media since the October 7 attacks. On that day, Hamas fighters entered southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Many countries, including the United States and European Union members, consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

Israel’s response to these attacks has been severe. Their goal is twofold: to rescue the hostages and to remove Hamas from power in Gaza. According to Hamas officials, Israel’s actions have resulted in about 37,000 Palestinian deaths. However, it’s important to note that Hamas doesn’t separate fighters from civilians in this count.

Netanyahu outlined the next steps for Israel’s military. They plan to move some forces to the north, where there have been increasing clashes with Hezbollah, another armed group based in Lebanon. Israel also wants to bring home local residents who were evacuated from the northern areas. Netanyahu expressed a preference for achieving this through diplomatic means, but he didn’t rule out using force if necessary.

The situation with Hezbollah is of particular concern to U.S. officials. They worry that a full-scale war could break out between Israel and Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran and is both a political party and a heavily armed militia in Lebanon.

In the interview, Netanyahu clearly rejected the idea of a long-term ceasefire with Hamas. This goes against a proposal made by U.S. President Joe Biden a few weeks ago. Netanyahu stated that any agreement would have to be on Israel’s terms and wouldn’t mean ending the war, leaving Gaza, or allowing Hamas to remain in power.

However, Netanyahu did say he would consider a short-term pause in fighting if it meant freeing some of the Israeli hostages. After such a break, he insisted that Israel would continue fighting until they achieve their goal of eliminating Hamas.

This stance angered the families of the hostages still held in Gaza. They accused Netanyahu of abandoning the 120 remaining hostages and failing in the country’s moral duty to its citizens. In response to this criticism, Netanyahu’s office later released a statement reaffirming their commitment to bringing back all hostages, both living and deceased.

The statement also emphasized that it’s Hamas, not Israel, that opposes a deal. They insisted that Israel won’t leave Gaza until all hostages are returned.

This situation highlights the complex challenges Israel faces. On one hand, there’s intense pressure to rescue the hostages and ensure the country’s security by neutralizing Hamas. On the other hand, the ongoing military operation has resulted in a high number of Palestinian casualties, leading to international concern and criticism.

The conflict has also had wider regional impacts, particularly in terms of rising tensions with Hezbollah in the north. This adds another layer of complexity to Israel’s strategic decisions.

As the situation continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how Israel will balance these competing pressures and objectives. The coming weeks and months will likely be crucial in determining the long-term outcome of this conflict and its impact on the broader Middle East region.

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