Netanyahu says partial Gaza ceasefire deal no longer possible

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with i24, stated that the possibility of a partial ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas is “behind us”, emphasising, “I’m not going back to partial agreements,” and accusing Hamas of having misled Israel.

Netanyahu pushed back strongly against criticism from Opposition politicians and ex-military leaders who claim he’s been stalling in Gaza.

"I'm not going back to partial agreements," he said, accusing Hamas of "misleading" Israel, without providing details, Xinhua news agency reported.

Netanyahu announced that Israel’s military campaign will push beyond Gaza City into the remaining parts of the enclave not yet under Israeli control.

Those areas are in southern and central Gaza, which currently shelter the majority of the 2 million displaced residents, many living in overcrowded tent camps or damaged buildings.

In a separate development, the Israeli military said Tuesday it killed five "armed militants dressed as aid workers" near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in a drone strike last week in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.

Drone footage showed several men in yellow vests standing near a vehicle bearing the WCK's emblem. The military said the individuals were "posing a threat" to Israeli troops, though no soldiers were visible in the video and the men were not seen pointing their rifles at anyone.

The military called the incident "an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted," adding that Israel's Gaza District Coordination and Liaison Office has verified the information with the WCK, which confirmed that the vehicle has no connection to its operations.

However, there was no official comment from the WCK, an international humanitarian organization operating in Gaza since the start of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, providing meals and bread. Its operations have been severely limited by shortages caused by the Israeli blockade. There was no immediate comment from Hamas either.

Egypt, Qatar, and UN officials have all been pressing Israel in recent days to hold off or limit operations in Gaza’s remaining refuge zones. However, Netanyahu’s government appears determined to press ahead militarily, arguing that pausing now would leave Hamas with safe havens and leverage in negotiations.

With IANS inputs