PM Netanyahu vows: ‘No more partial deals’ as Qatar, Egypt & Hamas continue ceasefire discussions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu closed the door on Israel agreeing to another deal with Hamas that would only see some of the remaining Israeli hostages freed from captivity in Gaza, as mediators from Qatar and Egypt continued their attempts to revive the ceasefire talks with the terror group.

After several days of pressure, including from within his coalition, Netanyahu publicly confirmed reports that he would reject partial deals in the future, saying these ideas were now “behind us.”

“We’ve made all kinds of attempts. We went a long way. It became clear to us that [Hamas] is just leading us astray,” he said during an interview with i24 News on Tuesday.

“In any case, a lot of hostages, both living and dead, will remain in their hands,” he continued. “I want everyone – both the living and the fallen.”

“That’s what we are, therefore, going for. I’m not saying that I’m not willing to discuss it. I want to return everyone within a framework that ends the war, but an end to the war on our terms,” Netanyahu clarified.

The latest negotiations broke down two weeks ago, as Hamas kept increasing its demands amid an avalanche of worldwide criticism of Israel and a “starvation propaganda campaign” by the terror group.

Since then, Egypt and Qatar have attempted to return Hamas to the negotiating table.

Last week, the Israeli Cabinet announced plans for the military to seize control of the remainder of the Gaza Strip. But with preparations for the large-scale operation expected to take weeks, a window for negotiations has emerged.

However, the United States – and now Israel – have said they are no longer interested in partial deals, seeking instead to end the war through military force or a comprehensive agreement.

There are no known plans for an Israeli delegation to travel to Qatar, which would be a sure signal that negotiations have reached a serious stage. However, an Israeli TV report said a delegation could be sent soon.

On Tuesday, Hamas announced that a delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo to discuss recent developments with Egyptian officials, adding that talks would continue on Wednesday.

According to Channel 12 News, Israel would demand the release of all hostages and an arrangement for the governance of post-war Gaza that would not include Hamas as part of a comprehensive agreement to end the war.

Tahar Al-Nunu, a senior Hamas official, said the discussions in Cairo would focus on facilitating the entry of more humanitarian aid, ending the suffering of the people of Gaza, seeking consensus positions among the Palestinian factions, and strengthening relations with Egypt.

Meanwhile, mediators are still discussing a package of proposals they plan to present to Hamas and Israel, according to the Saudi al-Sharq channel.

The proposal is said to include a complete Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the release of all hostages, the disarmament of Palestinian factions in Gaza, the exile of several Hamas commanders, and the establishment of a local administration composed of technocrats to manage the enclave with support from a professional police force, presumably from Arab countries.

Despite Netanyahu’s declaration, the mediators apparently continue to pursue a partial deal, at least as an initial stage in any agreement.

“We are working very hard now in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told reporters on Tuesday.

“The main objective is to go back to the original proposal – to have a ceasefire for 60 days, with the release of some hostages and some Palestinian detainees, and the flow of humanitarian and medical assistance to Gaza without restrictions, without conditions.”