Concerns grew Tuesday over the chances of securing a Gaza truce, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected making any “concessions” in stalled talks towards a hostage release deal.
Netanyahu told a televised press conference at the end of a day of nationwide protests that he would “not give in to pressure” to renege on demands in indirect negotiations with Hamas to end the war, now nearing its 12th month.
Analyst Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group said Netanyahu’s remarks showed “he won’t stop the war… until Hamas surrenders, and he basically announced there won’t be a hostage deal”.
Gripped by grief and fury after six dead hostages were recovered from Gaza, Israelis took to the streets on Sunday and Monday to ramp up pressure on their government to secure the release of the remaining captives.
The military said the six were all captured alive during Hamas’s …