(Dan Tri) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will `deal more painful blows` to Hamas to pressure the armed forces to release hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Getty).
`Unfortunately, to date, all of our proposals to release hostages have been flatly rejected by Hamas,` Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on April 21, rejecting growing criticism in Israel.
129 hostages captured by Hamas during the attack on Israel on October 7 are believed to still be in Gaza.
`Instead of withdrawing its extremist views, Hamas created division within us. This increased pressure on the Israeli government. As a result, Hamas tightened the conditions for the release of the children.`
Mr. Netanyahu announced that in the coming days, Israel will `increase military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to free the hostages and achieve victory.`
According to an Israeli official, the Israeli war cabinet, which includes Prime Minister Netanyahu, met late on April 21 to discuss efforts to rescue the remaining hostages being held in Gaza.
Israel launched a war with Hamas in Gaza after Hamas’ attack on Israel last October.
The Palestinian Health Authority announced on April 21 that at least 34,097 people have died in Gaza since October 7, of which more than 70% of the deaths were women and children.
A ceasefire in November allowed for the release of 105 hostages.
Negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage agreement have been facilitated by mediators for weeks, but have yielded no clear breakthroughs recently.
According to sources familiar with the talks, the framework set by negotiators would be a six-week pause in fighting, during which Hamas would release the remaining 40 hostages, including all women, as well as
Hamas has told the mediators – which include Qatar and Egypt – that it does not have 40 living hostages who meet the criteria for release.
Hamas has condemned the US House of Representatives’ approval of a foreign aid package worth more than $26 billion to Israel, calling it a violation of humanitarian standards and a `green light` for further killing of Palestinians and Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this aid package demonstrates bipartisan support in the US for Israel and `protects Western civilization`.