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Talks continuing, hostage release won't take place before Friday: Israel
Updated On: 23 November, 2023 07:26 AM IST | Jerusalem | AP
Israel`s goals are to destroy Hamas` military capabilities and return all 240 hostages held captive in Gaza
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Dozens of Palestine supporters march and rally in Union Square in Manhattan on November 22, 2023 in New York City. The group has called for a cease fire in fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza which has now left an estimated 12,000 Gazans dead following the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Pic/AFP
Israel and Hamas on Wednesday agreed to a four-day ceasefire in the war in Gaza -- a diplomatic breakthrough that will free dozens of hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and bring a large influx of aid to the besieged territory. The truce raised hopes of eventually winding down the war, which was triggered by Hamas` October 7 deadly rampage into Israel. Now in its seventh week, the war has levelled vast swathes of Gaza, fuelled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank, and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, joined by the two other members of his special war cabinet, told a nationally televised news conference that the war would resume after the truce expires. Israel`s goals are to destroy Hamas` military capabilities and return all 240 hostages held captive in Gaza.
"I want to be clear. The war is continuing. The war is continuing. We will continue it until we achieve all our goals," Netanyahu said, adding he had delivered the same message in a phone call to US President Joe Biden. He also said he had instructed the Mossad spy agency to hunt down Hamas` exiled leadership "wherever they are". The ceasefire efforts hit another hurdle when Israel`s national security adviser said in a late-night announcement that the deal would not take effect before Friday, a day later than originally expected. Tzachi Hanegbi gave no reason for the delay, but Channel 13 TV said there were still some last-minute details being ironed out. If implemented, the deal temporarily freezes both sides at a tenuous moment.
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