Zimpapers Logo

GAZA CITY. – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday rejected Hamas’s proposed ceasefire terms – saying “total victory” in Gaza is possible within months.

He was speaking after Hamas laid out a series of demands in response to an Israel-backed ceasefire proposal. He said negotiations with the group were “not going anywhere” and described their demands as “bizarre”.

Talks between negotiators are continuing.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to broker a common ground that both Israel and Hamas can accept as conditions for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, much of which has been ravaged by Israel’s military offensive.

On Tuesday, Hamas said it had given a “positive” response to an offer provided by the mediators, who had earlier consulted Israel on the proposal. The prospect of a truce has not reached this high since a previous seven-day ceasefire ended in late November. – BBC.com-CGTN