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Middle East conflict

Netanyahu rules out Gaza ceasefire before hostages released

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that Israrel has been informing its adversaries and allies about this stance

TEL AVIV, November 9. /TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that his country will not agree to any ceasefire in the Gaza Strip unless HAMAS releases Israeli hostages held in the enclave.

"I would like to denounce all false rumors that are coming from various sources and clarify it once again: there will be no ceasefire until our hostages are released. Anything else is lies," the head of the Israeli government said while visiting Israeli municipalities of Judea and Samaria (Israeli name of the West Bank).

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that Israrel has been informing its adversaries and allies about this stance.

NBC News reported on Wednesday, citing two diplomats, that the US, Qatar and Israel are discussing a proposal to announce a humanitarian pause for as many as three days to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the possible release of some hostages. According to the report, Qatar is acting as an intermediary and has held talks with Hamas for weeks about halting the fighting for humanitarian reasons,

Axios earlier reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that humanitarian pauses would give Israel more time for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip and would reduce pressure on the administration of US President Joe Biden.

The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7. Hamas regards the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Israel has declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and has started delivering strikes on that area and parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.

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Palestine Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

Middle East conflict

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