Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against pressure to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza. Many Israelis protested and went on strike, and U.S. President Joe Biden said more needed to be done after almost 11 months of fighting.
In his first public address since Sunday’s mass protests, Netanyahu said he will continue to insist on Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt. He claimed this corridor is crucial to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza.
Netanyahu stated that no one is more committed to freeing the hostages than himself. But he firmly stated that no one will try to tell him what to do.
Israelis protested and blamed Netanyahu for the hostages’ deaths, believing they could have been saved in a deal with Hamas. However, some support Netanyahu’s decision to continue the campaign in Gaza to force militants to comply with Israeli demands.
The United States is growing impatient with the negotiations. Biden mentioned that they are close to a deal but emphasized that Netanyahu needs to do more.
Hamas accused Israel of prolonging negotiations by introducing new demands, such as ongoing Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor. Israel confirmed that the six hostages found dead in Gaza were killed by Hamas before Israeli forces arrived.
Thousands attended the funeral of one of the hostages as the nation mourned. Despite disagreements within the Israeli government, Netanyahu remains determined to achieve a total victory over Hamas.
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