With clock ticking in Cairo, Netanyahu ups threats, cancels war cabinet meeting

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday that the Israeli military will enter the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah regardless of the outcome of the ongoing talks for a hostage release and cease-fire deal with Hamas.

“The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all its aims is not an option,” Netanyahu said in a meeting at his office in Jerusalem with the hawkish Gvura and Tikva forums, who represent relatives of soldiers killed in Gaza and families of hostages held by Hamas, respectively. Netanyahu added, “We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there — whether or not there is a deal — in order to achieve total victory.” 

A statement issued by Netanyahu’s office noted that the two forums called on the government to continue fighting in Gaza until the goals of the war are achieved despite international pressure. The statement was referring to the three goals Netanyahu has declared on many occasions since Oct. 7: toppling the military and governing capabilities of Hamas, bringing the hostages back home and making sure that no hate-inciting entity rules the Strip after the war.

According to Channel 12, Netanyahu also told the participants that "Hamas insists on one thing — the end of the war — but it will not get it. I am not ready to give it. Therefore, if this is the situation — and indeed this is currently — [the deal] will not happen. There may be people saying they are ready to end the war and let Hamas return. I won’t accept that," he said, adding, "Whether or not there will be full or partial release [of hostages], that depends on Hamas."

Since Oct. 7, Netanyahu has met only on a few occasions with the Hostage Families Forum, which backs ending the war in order to achieve an immediate hostage-release deal. He has met more frequently with representatives of hostage families that support the continuation of the war. They say that applying maximum military pressure on Hamas will do more to bring about the release of hostages. 

Thousands of people demonstrated Monday evening in Tel Aviv, calling on the government to immediately reach a deal with Hamas for the release of the hostages. The protesters carried signs reading, "Rafah can wait, they cannot." After the rally at the Defense Ministry’s headquarters, hundreds of protesters marched to the ruling Likud party's headquarters in Tel Aviv, where clashes with police ensued.

Israel is awaiting Hamas' response to the latest Egypt-mediated proposal for a hostage release and Gaza cease-fire deal. Ben Caspit reported today that the deal on the table includes the release of 33 hostages in exchange for a 30- to 40-day cease-fire, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to the north of the Gaza Strip. Such a lengthy cease-fire would mean Israel postponing its plans to enter Rafah.

The Israeli negotiating team was expected to return Tuesday morning to continue discussions with Egyptian mediators, but Netanyahu decided the team would wait for Israel to receive Hamas’ response. Ynet reported that Hamas is expected to produce a written response from Hamas' Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have voiced objections to the proposal. Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir met Tuesday before the cabinet meeting to discuss the offer. After the meeting, Ben-Gvir said in a statement, "Netanyahu had promised that Israel will enter Rafah, that we will not end the war and will not accept a reckless deal." He added that he had made the political cost of breaking these promises clear to the premier. Last week, Israeli opposition figure Yair Lapid pledged to support the Netanyahu government if a deal is on the table so the agreement could be struck without the far-right ministers' support.

Netanyahu's office canceled a war cabinet meeting set for Tuesday evening. No reason was given.