Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has proposed a two-month halt to the ongoing attacks on Gaza, which have resulted in casualties among the Palestinian population. Reports from Axios indicate that Israel conveyed this proposal to Hamas fighters through intermediaries from Qatar and Egypt. This development comes a day after Netanyahu rejected a deal presented by Hamas fighters to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza, a region where over 25,000 Palestinians have lost their lives.
According to the Axios report, Israel’s proposed multi-phase deal includes the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, as stated by two Israeli officials. Netanyahu faces increasing pressure domestically to secure the return of captives, but he has been firm in his stance against accepting what he perceives as surrender terms from Hamas. He emphasized that acquiescing to Hamas conditions would leave the armed group intact, suggesting that the sacrifices made by Israeli soldiers would be in vain.
“I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas,” Netanyahu declared on Sunday, reiterating his longstanding opposition to an independent Palestinian state. He remains steadfast in his commitment to maintaining full Israeli security control over the entire area west of the Jordan River.
In a previous development, Hamas had released more than 100 captives in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners as part of a brief truce brokered in late November. However, as per Israeli officials, Hamas is still holding 136 individuals in captivity.
The conflict in Gaza, which began with Israel’s declaration of intent to eliminate Hamas in response to attacks on October 7, has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 25,105 Palestinian lives.
Meanwhile, on a different front, the United States and Britain initiated fresh joint strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels. This marked their second round of military action against the Iran-backed group, citing responses to continued attacks on Red Sea shipping. The joint statement from Washington and London revealed that the latest strikes targeted eight Houthi locations in Yemen, focusing on their attacks against international and commercial shipping, as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.
The strikes specifically aimed at disrupting Houthi capabilities, targeting an underground storage site and locations associated with their missile and air surveillance capabilities. The joint action was supported by other nations and was intended to curb what was described as a series of “illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing” actions by the Houthi rebels.
The decision to conduct joint military operations highlights the ongoing tensions in the region and the international community’s efforts to address security concerns arising from the activities of groups like the Houthi rebels.
As these events unfold, it remains to be seen how the proposed pause in Gaza and the joint strikes in Yemen will impact the broader geopolitical landscape and whether diplomatic efforts will gain momentum to find lasting solutions to the complex challenges in the Middle East.