ON SUNDAY — ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU REJECTED CONDITIONS PRESENTED BY HAMAS TO END THE WAR AND RELEASE MORE THAN 130 HOSTAGES THAT REMAIN IN GAZA.
HAMAS PROPOSED THAT ISRAEL COMPLETELY WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM THE GAZA STRIP — LEAVING THE TERRORIST GROUP IN POWER.
NETANYAHU RESPONDED TO HAMAS’ PROPOSAL IN A STATEMENT SAYING – THEY WOULD NOT “SURRENDER” TO THE “MONSTERS OF HAMAS.”
FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS HELD A PROTEST OUTSIDE OF NETANYAHU’S HOME – DEMANDING HE TAKE ACTION TO BRING ALL OF THEM HOME.
A SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL SPEAKING TO REUTERS SAID NETANYAHU’S REFUSAL TO END ITS OPERATIONS IN GAZA MEANS THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR THE RETURN OF HOSTAGES.
NETANYAHU IS FACING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO END THE WAR.
ON SUNDAY – HE REAFFIRMED HIS STANCE THAT ISRAEL SHOULD BE IN CONTROL OVER GAZA AFTER THE FIGHTING ENDS – DESPITE SPEAKING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN WHO PRESSED THE PRIME MINISTER ON WORKING TOWARD A TWO-STATE SOLUTION DURING A CALL TWO DAYS EARLIER.