The Israeli prime minister sees the cease-fire plan presented by US President Joe Biden as a “partial outline,” a government spokesperson said. Egypt says Hamas has “positively” reacted to the proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is “working in countless ways” to bring back hostages held by Hamas in Gaza while also prioritizing the destruction of the Palestinian militant group.
“This is not something that I am adding now. This is not something that I am adding because I am under pressure within the coalition. It is something we agreed on unanimously in the war cabinet,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
The Israeli prime minister has come under pressure recently after US President Joe Biden presented a three-phase cease-fire plan.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has called on Netanyahu to accept the deal.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right coalition partner, said Netanyahu had invited him to read the proposal, but the prime minister’s office failed to provide him with the document. He stressed that any plan must entail destroying Hamas.