Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected two key demands Hamas has made during indirect cease-fire talks, saying Israel will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip or release thousands of jailed terrorists.
During an event Tuesday in the West Bank, Netanyahu again vowed that the war would not end without Israel's "absolute victory" over Hamas.
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"We will not end this war short of achieving all of its objectives. That means eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel," he said. "We will not withdraw the IDF from the Gaza Strip and we will not release thousands of terrorists. None of this will happen. What is going to happen? An absolute victory.
"I hear sayings about all kinds of (hostages) deals so I want to clarify - we will not end this war short of achieving all of its objectives. That means eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel."
The Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that sparked the war killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and about 250 people were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
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