JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Jan 21 rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war and release hostages that would include Israel’s complete withdrawal and leaving Hamas in power in Gaza.

As Israeli planes resumed bombing Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the Israeli leader’s refusal to end the military offensive in Gaza “means there is no chance for the return of the (Israeli) captives”.

“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,” Mr Netanyahu said in a statement. “And leaving Hamas intact.

“I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas.”

He added in his video statement: “Were we to agree to this, our soldiers would have fallen in vain and the next Oct 7 would be only a question of time.”

Israel is obliged to return all the hostages home, but “the conditions being proposed by Hamas underscore a simple point – there is no substitute for victory. Only total victory will ensure the elimination of Hamas and the return of all our hostages”, he said.

A deal brokered in late November by the United States, Qatar and Egypt saw the release of more than 100 of the estimated 240 hostages who were taken captive to Gaza during an attack by Hamas militants on Oct 7, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Since then, Mr Netanyahu has faced mounting pressure to secure the release of the hostages. Officially, 132 hostages remain in Gaza, though 27 are known to be dead. Of them, 121 are Israeli, and another 11 are foreign nationals from Thailand, Nepal, Tanzania, France and Mexico. Nineteen are women.

In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum demanded that Mr Netanyahu “clearly state that we will not abandon civilians, soldiers and others kidnapped in the October debacle”.

“We must advance the deal now,” it said. “If the Prime Minister decides to sacrifice the hostages, he should show leadership and honestly share his position with the Israeli public.”

At the weekend, family members of the hostages demonstrated in front of Mr Netanyahu’s private residence, calling him to “stop the execution” of the remaining hostages. On Jan 21, they set up an encampment in front of his official residence in Jerusalem and demanded he take action. 

“We need the government to now fix the problem that they have created and get these hostages home immediately, said Mr Jon Polin, the father of Mr Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Mr Netanyahu also took a stronger line on the issue of Palestinian statehood than previously.

“I will not compromise on full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River,” he said.

US President Joe Biden on Jan 19 said he spoke with Mr Netanyahu about possible solutions for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, suggesting one path could involve a non-militarised government.

Mr Netanyahu appeared on Jan 20 to push back against Mr Biden's remarks about Palestinian statehood after the war against Hamas in Gaza ends, as the two men do not see eye to eye on Palestinians having a state, a solution Mr Biden has advocated to achieve long-term peace.

In the statement on Jan 21, Mr Netanyahu repeated that he would insist upon “full Israeli security control over all the territory west of Jordan”.

He added that he had firmly stood up to “international and internal pressures” to change this position and would continue to do so.

“My insistence is what prevented for years the establishment of a Palestinian state that would have posed an existential danger to Israel,” he said. REUTERS, BLOOMBERG