Netanyahu resists cease-fire amid Israeli protests

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted new calls for a cease-fire in Gaza on Monday after significant protests and a strike by hundreds of thousands of Israelis. U.S. President Joe Biden also urged Netanyahu to take further action following nearly 11 months of conflict.

In his first public address since Sunday’s large-scale protests, Netanyahu responded to the discovery of six more dead hostages. He emphasised the importance of maintaining Israeli control over the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Israel claims Hamas uses for weapon smuggling.

Both Egypt and Hamas deny these claims. Netanyahu described the corridor as essential to preventing Hamas from rearming through tunnels.

“No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me,” Netanyahu said, defending his stance as crucial for national security.

Sunday night’s protests saw Israelis expressing grief and anger, with many blaming Netanyahu for not securing the hostages’ safe return through a deal with Hamas. A rare general strike followed on Monday. That evening, thousands gathered outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, demanding a deal and carrying coffins draped in Israeli flags. Police clashes led to several arrests.

Despite the protests, some Israelis support Netanyahu’s continued military campaign in Gaza, initiated after Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October, which resulted in thousands of Palestinian casualties. Netanyahu insists the offensive will force militants to meet Israeli demands, aid rescue operations, and ultimately dismantle Hamas.

Key ally the United States has shown impatience, with Biden indicating that Netanyahu’s efforts were insufficient. Biden expressed optimism about the negotiations, saying, “Hope springs eternal.”

Hamas has accused Israel of prolonging negotiations by introducing new demands, including maintaining control over the Philadelphi corridor and another corridor across Gaza. Hamas has proposed releasing all hostages in exchange for ending the war, withdrawing Israeli forces, and freeing numerous Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants. These terms align with a deal outline proposed by Biden in July.

Netanyahu has declared his aim for “total victory” over Hamas, blaming the group for stalled negotiations. He expressed willingness to start a cease-fire’s first phase, which involves releasing some hostages and prisoners and a partial Israeli troop pullout. However, he rejected a full Gaza withdrawal, citing no reliable party to control Gaza’s borders.

Israeli media reported significant disagreements between Netanyahu and top security officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who supports a cease-fire. A heated exchange between Gallant and Netanyahu at a security cabinet meeting on Thursday highlighted Gallant’s opposition to Netanyahu’s focus on border control over hostage rescue. Gallant called for the security cabinet to reverse the decision.

Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya criticised Netanyahu for prioritising the Philadelphi corridor over the hostages’ release. Al-Hayya claimed Hamas had shown “great flexibility,” reducing its demands for prisoner exchanges but accused Israel of adding new conditions.

Israel stated that Hamas killed the six hostages shortly before Israeli forces discovered their location. Hamas’ armed wing indicated that it would kill any hostages during Israeli rescue attempts, a policy enacted after a deadly raid in June.

Thousands attended the funeral of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the six hostages. His parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release.

A general strike, organised by Israel’s largest trade union, Histadrut, ended early after a labour court ruled it politically motivated. The strike aimed to halt major economic sectors, including banking and healthcare, with some flights at Ben-Gurion airport affected.

Opinions on the strike varied, with some residents seeing it as necessary for the hostages’ return, while others viewed it as a victory for Hamas.

Around 250 hostages were taken on 7 October, with over 100 released during a November cease-fire in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces, although three Israelis were mistakenly killed during an escape attempt in December. Approximately 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with a third believed dead.

Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the 7 October attack. Israel’s retaliation has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local health officials. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, causing a severe humanitarian crisis and raising concerns about a polio outbreak.

Meanwhile, Israel continued its six-day raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Bulldozers were seen tearing up roads, and the Palestinian Red Crescent reported Israeli forces blocking their ambulances.

A funeral was held for Ayman Abed, a 58-year-old man who died in Israeli custody after being arrested the previous day. The Israeli military attributed his death to a “cardiac event” but did not provide details. Human rights groups have reported abuses of Palestinians detained by Israel, with at least 36 Palestinians dying in detention since October.

Israel claims to have killed 14 militants and arrested 25 in Jenin, while Palestinian health officials report at least 29 fatalities, including five children. Residents of Jenin are experiencing electricity and water cuts, with many vowing to resist and rebuild despite the occupation.

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