'Israel' says prisoner swap deal not to stop aggression on Gaza
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The office of the Israeli occupation's premier underlines that the IOF would not halt their aggression on Gaza if a prisoner swap deal is reached with the Palestinian Resistance.
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Israeli occupation forces vehicles transport a group of soldiers and journalists inside the southern Gaza Strip, occupied Palestine, July 3, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli occupation underlined that it retains the option to resume military operations in the Gaza Strip until all of the outlined goals of its onslaught on the blockaded strip are achieved, irrespective of the terms agreed upon in a prospective prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas, a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
Netanyahu's office emphasized that any agreement would permit the Israeli occupation to continue its military efforts until the complete objectives of the war of attrition on Gaza are met.
"The Prime Minister is continuing to insist on the principles that have already been agreed to by Israel," the statement read. "Any deal will allow Israel to resume fighting until all of the objectives of the war have been achieved."
The statement further asserted that the Israeli occupation would crack down on the Resistance's supply lines.
The agreed-upon plan, which has also received support from US President Joe Biden, aims to ensure the return of Israeli captives to the occupied Palestinian territories without compromising other objectives.
"The plan that has been agreed to by Israel and which has been welcomed by President Biden will allow Israel to return hostages without infringing on the other objectives of the war," the statement concluded.
The statement is an attempt by Netanyahu's office to appease his far-right following, who are largely opposed to any ceasefire in Gaza, backing and cheering on the genocide of the Palestinian people, while also attempting to appease the liberal protesters demanding an end to the hostilities that hinges on the return of Israeli captives.
Biden wants deal urgently
Biden has been advocating for a resolution to secure the release of Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance and an end to the war on Gaza, which has polarized opinion against him. Despite the fact that Biden had claimed that his latest suggestion garnered Israeli approval and the disapproval of the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas, the actual statements and actions of both parties showed the opposite.
The latest discussions between US and Israeli officials aimed to facilitate the completion of a deal, especially after Hamas' positive feedback, which was submitted to mediators on Wednesday.
A senior White House official told Axios that Biden told Netanyahu that "it is time to close the deal," which would secure the release of hostages and reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
However, Netanyahu told Biden in their call that his government remains committed to ending the war on Gaza only after it achieves its war objectives. These objectives have included the complete uprooting of the Palestinian Resistance's military capabilities and civilian governance of the Gaza Strip, among other objectives.
According to Axios, the White House believes this is a pivotal moment to move forward with negotiations and finalize an agreement, which the news website says would be a major foreign policy win for Biden, who has come under increasing criticism after a presidential debate with Donald Trump.
After receiving Hamas' feedback on the proposed agreement, Israeli officials indicated that the latest development makes it possible to resolve key issues in Articles 8 and 14 of the proposal.
