Last night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected, in no uncertain terms, any deal that would lead to the release of hostages held by Hamas if it would mean ending the fighting and freeing Palestinians held in Israeli jails. “In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands the end of the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all the murderers and rapists,” Netanyahu said in a statement, reported Reuters. “And leaving Hamas intact.”
“I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also took a stronger line on the issue of Palestinian statehood than before. “I will not compromise on full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River,” he said.
