Minister- Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu today called for pressure to reach a peace deal in Gaza to be directed at "Hamas" and condemned the "stubborn refusal" of the radical Palestinian movement from a deal, reported France Press, referring to the Prime Minister's office, BTA writes.
"Hamas" has so far persisted in its refusal and did not even send a representative to the negotiations in Doha, therefore the pressure must be directed at "Hamas" and (Yahia group leader) Sinwar, not to the Israeli government," Netanyahu was quoted as saying in a statement from his office.
The statement was made in the context of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's visit to Israel with the intention of giving impetus to negotiations on a cease-fire in Gaza, reports AFP. The adviser in Netanyahu's cabinet - Dmitri Gendelman, told TASS that the Israeli leader plans to meet with Blinken in Jerusalem tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. local time (also Bulgarian).
In general, Israel is conducting complex negotiations for the release of those held by "Hamas" in Gaza Israeli hostages captured in the bloody attack by Palestinian militants on southern Israel on October 7 last year, Netanyahu noted at the beginning of today's cabinet meeting, Reuters adds. "There are things on which compromises can be made and things on which we cannot change our position and insist on them. We know very well how to disentangle one from the other," the prime minister added.