Netanyahu Insists on No Ceasefire Without Hostage Release in Gaza Conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that there will be no general ceasefire in Gaza until the Hamas militant group releases all the hostages it took captive following the unprecedented attack on October 7. Despite suggestions of temporary “humanitarian” pauses in the fighting, Netanyahu emphasized that a ceasefire is contingent on the release of all hostages.

Israel claims that Hamas is holding 240 people, including Israelis and foreign nationals, as hostages in Gaza, with reports indicating that around 30 of them are children. While four civilian hostages have been released, and an Israeli female soldier was rescued by Israeli forces, Hamas alleges that 57 of the hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Netanyahu stated that a ceasefire would hamper the war effort and indicated that Israel may have an indefinite role in overseeing security in the region, cautioning Iran and Hezbollah against further involvement. As of Tuesday morning, the conflict has resulted in a substantial loss of life, with over 10,000 Palestinians, including children and women, killed in Gaza and 1,400 deaths in Israel.