Israeli National Security Minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir reaches out to a supporter as he walks, escorted by Israeli police officers, in front of the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's fortified old city, on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's capture of the eastern sector of the city in 1967 during the Arab-Israeli war. (Credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP.)
The Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir (far-right), called on Friday to use "all necessary force" against Hamas in Gaza, following the reservations expressed by Hamas on the new American cease-fire proposal.
"After Hamas rejected the agreement proposal once again, there are no more excuses [...]. We have already missed too many opportunities. It's time to go with all the necessary force, without flinching, to completely destroy and kill Hamas' in the Gaza Strip, wrote Ben Gvir on his Telegram channel in a message addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ben Gvir refers to the new American truce proposal in the Gaza Strip aimed at ending nearly 20 months of a devastating war in the small Palestinian territory, triggered by Hamas's unprecedented attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt had announced Thursday evening that the American cease-fire proposal had been approved by Israel. There has been no official reaction from Israel so far. A little later in the evening, Bassem Naim, one of Hamas's exiled leaders, told AFP that this proposal did not meet its demands, as it "essentially means the perpetuation of occupation, the continuation of killings and famine." This proposal "does not meet any of our people's demands, especially stopping the war and famine," he emphasized, adding that the movement was considering how to respond.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains disastrous even though aid has begun to enter the territory after a two-and-a-half-month blockade imposed by Israel.
According to two sources close to the negotiations, the new American proposal involves a 60-day truce that could be extended to 70, and the handover by Hamas of 10 live hostages and 9 dead in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners during the first week, and a second exchange of the same number of live and dead hostages during the second week.
Out of the 251 people kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, 57 are still being held in the Gaza Strip, of which at least 34 are dead, according to Israeli authorities.
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