Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ conditions to end the ongoing conflict, stating firmly, “I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas.”
This led Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, to assert that the approximately 130 Israelis currently held hostage by the group will not be released. Netanyahu faced mounting pressure to secure the freedom of these hostages, particularly after a previous deal facilitated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt resulted in the release of over 100 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
During a protest outside Netanyahu’s residence, relatives of the hostages demanded urgent action, urging the government to rectify the situation. Netanyahu, however, took a steadfast stance on Israeli security control west of the Jordan River, a position at odds with President Joe Biden’s suggestions regarding the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Despite Biden’s proposals, Netanyahu emphasized his commitment to full Israeli security control, resisting both international and internal pressures to alter this stance.
In the midst of the prolonged conflict, Gaza’s health ministry reported a staggering 25,000 Palestinian casualties, with about two-thirds being women and children, according to the United Nations. UN chief António Guterres expressed deep concern, describing the civilian death toll as “heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable” during a global summit in Uganda. Guterres criticized Israel’s military operations, characterizing them as causing mass destruction and unprecedented civilian casualties.
Adding complexity to the situation, US intelligence officials disclosed that Israel had likely killed only 20-30% of Hamas’ estimated 25,000 to 30,000 militants, challenging claims by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of higher enemy casualties.
This revelation raised questions about the accuracy of casualty figures provided during the three-month-long conflict. The ongoing discord between Netanyahu’s government, Hamas, and international actors underscores the intricate challenges faced in resolving the conflict and the toll it exacts on both Israeli and Palestinian populations.
