Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Wednesday that Israel has not ruled out negotiating a cease-fire extension with the Hamas in Gaza, Times of Israel reports, but says that there is limited time to do so.
“Alongside the [Israeli army's] still-limited operations in Gaza, we are still allowing space for dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement to extend the cease-fire and release the hostages — but we will not wait forever,” Sa’ar told Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, according to a statement put out by his office.
During meetings at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem today, Sa’ar briefed his counterpart on Israel’s resumed war against Gaza since March 18, in which the Israeli air force has killed more than 800 people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly refused to enter into negotiations for the cease-fire's second phase, which would see the release of all remaining prisoners and a permanent end to hostilities.
“Hamas, which insists on continuing to hold the hostages and refuses to demilitarize the Gaza Strip, is pushing for the resumption of war in Gaza,” Sa'ar said.
“If the Arabs put down their weapons, there will be no more war. But if Israel puts down its weapons, there will be no more Israel,” Sa’ar continues, quoting late prime minister Golda Meir.
Humanitarian convoy reaches Rmeish, Ain Ibl, Dibil despite obstacles