Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has announced four principles it says must be part of any hostage release deal with the Palestinian terror group Hamas.
The statement comes at a time when “the Prime Minister's firm position against the attempt to stop the IDF's action in Rafah is what has led Hamas to start negotiations,” the office said. The city in the southern Gaza Strip has been described as Hamas' last stronghold after months of fighting in the war-torn territory.
The principles are:
“Any agreement will allow Israel to resume fighting until all war objectives have been achieved.”
Israel has repeatedly said its military campaign against Hamas will not end until the Palestinian terror group is eliminated.
Israeli tanks maneuver near the Israel-Gaza border on July 4. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
BIDEN TALKS TO NETANYAHU ABOUT HAMAS' LATEST CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL
Netanyahu, who made this promise at the end of June, also said months ago that “Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population.”
“Our goal is to rid Gaza of Hamas terrorists and free our hostages. Once this is achieved, Gaza can be demilitarized and deradicalized, thus creating the possibility of a better future for Israel and Palestinians alike,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on X in January.
“There will be no arms smuggling to Hamas from Egypt to the Gaza border.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video in June showing tunnels allegedly used by Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza from Egypt, according to The Times of Israel.
Israel Defense Forces locate and destroy an underground rocket manufacturing site in Gaza. (Photo provided by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
At least 20 tunnels have been detected crossing from Egypt into Gaza, the outlet reported.
NETANYAHU WILLING TO REACH PARTIAL CEASEFIRE DEAL, PROMISES WAR WILL CONTINUE UNTIL HAMAS IS ELIMINATED
Over the course of the nine-month war, Israeli troops have uncovered a labyrinth of tunnels across the Gaza Strip that are integral to Hamas' military movements and operations.
“There will be no return of thousands of armed terrorists to the north of the Gaza Strip.”
The Prime Minister's Office has vowed that armed terrorists must not be allowed to return to the northern Gaza Strip in its vision for a post-war Gaza.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said Friday that “up to 1.9 million people in Gaza are internally displaced, including people who have been displaced nine or 10 times.”
“Previous estimates were 1.7 million, but this was before the operation in Rafah, and since May there has been additional displacement from Rafah and other parts of the Gaza Strip,” the agency added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has released a list of principles it says must be included in any hostage release deal with Hamas. (Photo by Abir Sultan/Pool via AP)
“Israel will maximize the number of live hostages released from Hamas captivity.”
Approximately 116 hostages are believed to be held by Hamas since the war began on October 7.
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In the past nine months, 109 hostages have been freed, seven have been rescued by the IDF and the military has recovered the bodies of 19 people in Gaza, including three who were mistakenly killed by troops.
Fox News' Yonat Friling and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
