Israel will continue fighting in Gaza even if a ceasefire-prisoner swap deal is reached with Hamas, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday.
Netanyahu’s office added that any solution that would lead to Hamas remaining in Gaza is unacceptable, noting that the issue of the day after in the Strip is still under discussion.
The policy set by the prime minister is that “neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority will have civilian control in the Strip, including the distribution of humanitarian aid,” Netanyahu’s office told Yedioth Ahronoth.
According to the paper, an Israeli official said yesterday that Tel Aviv wants a partial deal that does not include stopping the war and withdrawing the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, as per the terms agreed by Hamas.
Earlier this month, officials from Israel and Hamas indicated that talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States could lead to an agreement to stop the fighting and return the Israeli captives held by Hamas before the year ends, which could pave the way for a full ceasefire agreement. However, optimism has faded and it remains unclear how close the two sides are to reaching an agreement.