Israeli media on Friday reported that Tel Aviv rejects to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and end the war completely, as it only seeks to extend the ceasefire’s first phase without entering into its second phase.
According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding this evening consultations with senior officials and ministers, including Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister hardline Bezalel Smotrich, over the ceasefire developments.
It added that the consultation is focused on continuing with the Gaza ceasefire deal or abandoning it, including the possibility of resuming its war on Gaza.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Netanyahu will hold the consultations via “the red phone” following the return of the Israeli delegation from Cairo.
Earlier, the Palestinian Hamas group reaffirmed its commitment to implementing all terms of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement as the first phase comes to an end on Saturday evening, urging mediators to put pressure on Israel to enter the second phase immediately.
“As the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement comes to an end, Hamas reaffirms its full commitment to implementing all terms of the deal in all its stages,” the Palestinian resistance group said in a statement.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement is set to expire on Saturday evening.
Negotiations for the second phase were scheduled to begin on Feb. 3, the 16th day of the agreement’s first phase. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has extended the current phase to secure the release of more Israeli captives in Gaza.
On Thursday, Egypt’s State Information Service announced the start of intensive negotiations in Cairo involving parties to the ceasefire agreement. The talks aim to finalize the next phases of the deal.
Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on Thursday that Israel had asked mediators to increase the number of hostages released in each stage as a condition for extending the first phase, and without entering the second phase.
In return, Israel would continue releasing Palestinian prisoners, maintaining the ceasefire, and allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, including mobile housing units.
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place since last month, pausing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 48,300 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.