 "US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File image/ Reuters")
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday (March 2) that Israel was “fully coordinated with US President Donald Trump and his staff” over the proposal to extend phase one of the Gaza ceasefire for another 50 days.
Netanyahu was speaking at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. Earlier on Saturday night, Israel’s PMO said it would endorse a proposal put forward by Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would extend phase one through Ramadan and Passover.
Israel hopes more hostages will be released during this period. The Israeli PM said Witkoff made the proposal after realising that negotiations over the second phase of the ceasefire were not likely to yield any positive outcome.
“He even defined his proposal as a corridor for negotiations on phase two,” Netanyahu said, adding, “Israel is ready for this.” The Israel PM assured his nation would enter talks for phase two if Hamas agreed to the extension.
“If Hamas thinks that it will be possible to continue the ceasefire, or to enjoy the conditions of phase one, without us receiving hostages – it is very mistaken,” he warned.
As his office stated last night, Netanyahu warns that Israel has the right to resume fighting in Gaza “if it is convinced that negotiations are ineffective,” citing a US letter that affirms this position.
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More Shorts“Despite this, we agreed to the Witkoff outline because we are committed to bringing our hostages home,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel believes Hamas is still holding 59 hostages—up to 24 alive and at least 35 dead.
Regarding Israel’s decision to halt aid deliveries to Gaza, Netanyahu claimed that “Hamas is currently taking control of all supplies and goods sent to the Gaza Strip. It is abusing the Gazan population who are trying to receive the aid, it is shooting at them, and is turning humanitarian aid into a terrorist budget directed against us.”
He also issued a warning of “additional consequences” if Hamas does not release more hostages but does not specify further details.
(With inputs from agencies)