Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that Israel is prepared to negotiate a permanent ceasefire in Gaza during a proposed 60-day truce, but only if the territory is fully demilitarized.
“At the beginning of the ceasefire, we will enter negotiations for a permanent end to the war, that is, a permanent ceasefire,” Netanyahu said in a video message from Washington, where he is currently visiting.
“In order to achieve that, it must be done under the basic conditions we’ve set: Hamas must lay down its arms, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Hamas can no longer possess any governing or military capabilities,” he added.
Israeli and Hamas delegations arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday to negotiate a temporary truce following a deadly Hamas-led attack in October 2023. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has devastated the enclave, with Gaza health officials reporting more than 57,000 Palestinian deaths.
According to Netanyahu, a deal proposal presented by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff includes a 60-day ceasefire that would also secure the release of 10 living hostages as well as several deceased. About 50 hostages are still held in Gaza, with around 20 believed by Israel to be alive.
On Thursday evening, Hamas issued a statement accusing Netanyahu of intending to obstruct the release of Israeli hostages and the end of the aggression in the Gaza Strip.
The statement said that Hamas had previously proposed to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel’s permanent cessation of aggression and the smooth entry of aid materials into the Gaza Strip. However, Netanyahu rejected the proposal and continued to create obstacles to a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid, according to the statement.
On Wednesday, Israeli authorities allowed a UN team to bring 75,000 liters of fuel into the fuel-starved Gaza Strip, the first batch in more than four months. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday that this is not enough to even meet one day’s fuel requirements for hospitals and water systems.
“Fuel is still running out in the Strip, and services will shut down if far greater volumes do not enter immediately,” the OCHA said. “This catastrophic situation must end. A ceasefire is not just urgent; it is long overdue.”
The OCHA warned that fuel shortages could cut off supplies of clean drinking water to about 44,000 children, increasing the risk of waterborne illnesses such as cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery. The intensification of operations by Israeli forces in northern areas of Gaza is causing massive destruction, driving further humanitarian needs and dampening hopes of thousands of displaced families to return home.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also criticized Israeli military operations in Gaza. Speaking before the Spanish parliament on Wednesday, he accused Israel of committing genocide in Palestine and said Europe is not doing enough to try to stop it.
Sanchez stated that the Israeli government’s actions would be remembered “as one of the darkest episodes of the 21st century.”
Spain and Ireland first requested the European Union to assess Israel’s compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement in February 2024. While the EU has not taken any action against Israel, Sanchez said Spain is pushing for the immediate suspension of the agreement. In May 2024, Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine.
