An Israeli government spokesperson seems to have pushed back against media reports of a possible new mediated deal with Hamas under which fighting would be halted in exchange for a release of captives held in Gaza.
“Commenting on reported ceasefire agreements, Israel will not give up on the destruction of Hamas, the return of all the hostages, and there will be no security threat from Gaza towards Israel,” the spokesperson, Ilana Stein, said in a briefing.
“There will be no ceasefire. In the past, there were pauses for humanitarian purposes. That agreement was breached by Hamas.”
Each side has blamed the other for the non-renewal of a seven-day truce in November in which Hamas had freed women, children and foreign captives in exchange for daily releases of Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
