Netanyahu: Hamas offer aimed at ‘sabotaging’ Rafah op, is ‘very far’ from Israeli demands

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in a video message from his office, May 7, 2024. (Screenshot/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in a video message from his office, May 7, 2024. (Screenshot/GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that the latest Hamas proposal for a ceasefire deal was “meant to sabotage the entry of our forces into Rafah.”

“That did not happen,” the premier says in a video statement.

The Rafah operation is meant to bring back the hostages and to eliminate Hamas, says Netanyahu. “We already proved in the previous hostage release — military pressure on Hamas is a precondition for the return of the hostages.”

He emphasizes that the Hamas offer is “very far from Israel’s vital demands.”

“Israel will not allow Hamas to restore its wicked rule in the Strip,” he promises. “Israel will not allow it to rehabilitate its military capabilities in order to keep working toward our destruction.”

“Israel cannot accept a proposal that endangers the safety of our citizens and the future of our country,” Netanyahu insists.

He says he instructed the Israeli negotiating team currently in Cairo to “stand firmly” on Israel’s conditions for the release of the hostages and on its security demands.

Israel is continuing in parallel its military campaign against Hamas, Netanyahu explains.

He calls the capture of the Rafah Crossing “a very important step” toward destroying Hamas’s remaining military capabilities. He argues that it is also a key step in destroying the terror group’s ruling capabilities.

Netanyahu boasts that Israeli forces “replaced Hamas flags with Israeli flags” at the Rafah Crossing, even though footage has only shown Palestinian flags — not Hamas flags — being replaced.

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