Israel rejects Hamas' proposal after 700 days of conflict and intensifies its military offensive

The war in the Gaza Strip is entering a new chapter of tension following Hamas' announcement that it is willing to reach a ‘comprehensive agreement’ to release the hostages in exchange for Israel handing over all Palestinian prisoners. This proposal was rejected by Israel, which insists that its conditions for ending the conflict be accepted: the total disarmament of Hamas, the release of all captives and permanent security control over the Strip. 

On the other hand, Hamas said it was willing to form a technocratic administration to govern the Gaza Strip. The movement insisted that this independent government would immediately take over the management of all civil and administrative affairs in order to lend credibility to its ceasefire proposal.

In response, the Israeli army announced the launch of the second phase of Operation Gideon. According to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, these manoeuvres are intended to intensify the fighting and military operations. Zamir stressed that recovering the hostages is not a ‘moral and national mission’ and is the sole reason for the advance of Israeli troops. Meanwhile, a plan is being drawn up to move more than a million Palestinians to a humanitarian zone stretching from the refugee camps in the centre of the country to the coast of Al-Mawasi, despite the fact that this area has already been bombed several times by the IDF.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the conflict in Gaza will not end until Israel's demands are met: the release of all hostages, the complete disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarisation of the Strip and the establishment of Israeli security control. ‘Unfortunately, this is another manoeuvre by Hamas that is nothing new,’ he said. According to his office, any other proposal is insufficient and part of Hamas ‘manoeuvres’ to buy time without offering real guarantees. 

Along the same lines, Defence Minister Israel Katz accused the Islamist movement of continuing to ‘deceive with empty words’ and stressed that there are only two ways to end the war: accept Israel's conditions or face an intensification of the military offensive. Katz warned that Gaza could become a replica of Rafah and Beit Hanoun if Hamas does not yield, making it clear that the army is prepared to escalate attacks until the terrorist organisation is destroyed. 

For his part, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, said that Israel's demands represent ‘the bare minimum necessary to stop the war’. Smotrich emphasised above all else the return of all Israeli hostages kidnapped on 23 October 2023, the total disarmament of the Hamas terrorist organisation, and the guarantee that Israel will be in charge of freedom of action within the Palestinian enclave in the long term. Smotrich insisted that without these conditions, there will be no negotiated solution or sustainable ceasefire.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was even more radical in his stance, claiming that there is no room for any negotiation with Hamas. He asserted that the only solution is the group's complete surrender with total disarmament, voluntary emigration from the Strip or, failing that, its ‘total destruction’. He also rejected any kind of prisoner exchange, arguing that Palestinian prisoners were detained for committing crimes and Israeli hostages for being Israeli. 

In contrast, opposition leader Yair Lapid distanced himself from the government's hard line and called for an immediate resumption of talks. However, he acknowledged that Israel is not obliged to accept the terms proposed by Hamas. 

Opposition opinion is growing stronger in Israel. In light of the latest attacks against Palestinians and UN reports warning that at least 21,000 children in Gaza are suffering from disabilities as a result of the conflict, while nearly 40,500 have been injured since it began, half of them with permanent sequelae, hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets with banners reading ‘Stop the War’ and ‘Don't sacrifice them’, referring to the thousands of children who may die and the consequences this would have for the lives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for 700 days.

However, the conflict does not seem likely to be resolved definitively in the coming months, if we look at the history of negotiations, which show a very poor track record. The spiral of mistrust and conditions that neither side can accept is becoming increasingly evident. Meanwhile, the Palestinians remain locked in by Hamas and besieged by Israel, which will not stop until it achieves all its objectives.