[IsraelTimes] Defense official says talks ‘frozen,’ confirms Israel considering annexation as tool to pressure Hamas; alarmed by conditions in Strip, FMs from UK, France and Germany may visit Israel
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar summoned Dutch Ambassador to Israel Marriet Schuurman for a reprimand over the measures the kingdom is pursuing against Israel.
According to his office, Sa’ar told her that the Netherlands “harmed the chances of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and a plan for the release of hostages, strengthened Hamas’s refusal and actually raises the likelihood of a military escalation.”
Despite the European campaign, senior Israeli officials pledged on Tuesday that they would see the war through to victory over Hamas.
In a briefing to foreign journalists in Jerusalem, Sa’ar said that the “distorted campaign of international pressure” to end the war against Israel would not work.
“It ain’t gonna happen,” he said. “No matter how much pressure is put on Israel.”
And in a visit to the Tel Hashomer recruitment center, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel must retain its freedom of action in Gaza, even after the war comes to an end.
“In order for Hamas to no longer be effective, the IDF must have the ability — like in the West Bank — to operate securely in every location there,” he said. “We ourselves must be responsible for security in Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a conference that rebuilding settlements in Gaza is now a “realistic” option.
Addressing a conference at the Gush Katif Heritage Center marking two decades since Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, the far-right minister said he does “not want to go back to Gush Katif — it’s too small, it needs to be much bigger, much more expansive.”
Gush Katif was the major bloc of Israeli settlements in Gaza before the Disengagement, housing some 8,500 people in 17 communities.
PM SAYS ‘OBSTINATE’ HAMAS BLOCKING HOSTAGE DEAL, AS HE WEIGHS ANNEXING PARTS OF GAZA
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the Hamas terror group’s “obstinacy” was preventing a hostage-ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, as an Israeli defense source confirmed to The Times of Israel that officials have bandied about several potential next steps amid the impasse in negotiations, including beginning annexation of parts of the enclave.
After pulling their negotiators from talks in Qatar last week, US and Israeli leaders promised to explore new ways to bring home the 50 hostages still held in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Netanyahu met Tuesday afternoon with top advisers to discuss the captives, with a picture published by his office showing he was joined by government hostage point man Gal Hirsch, political advisor Ophir Falk and chief of staff Tzachi Braverman.
After the meeting, Netanyahu posted a video message on X, in which he squarely blamed Hamas for the stalled negotiations.
The prime minister began by noting that, in addition to his Tuesday meeting, “There was a meeting [about the hostages] yesterday. Two days ago, there was a meeting. The day before that, there was a meeting, too.”
“Since the delegation returned from Qatar, we haven’t stopped trying,” he said. “But there is one major obstacle, and everyone knows it — Hamas. It remains obstinate in its refusal.”
“[United States] President Trump said it, [US special envoy Steve] Witkoff said it, we’re saying it — everyone who knows the facts, including the mediators, knows it,” Netanyahu continued. “We are not letting up. We will continue to do everything we can — by one path or another. We are committed to bringing them home.”
ANNEXATION AMONG SEVERAL IDEAS DISCUSSED IN RECENT MEETINGS
Netanyahu convened the meeting as an Israeli defense official told The Times of Israel that “talks are frozen.”
“Hamas still hasn’t come back to the table” with a new offer, the official said.
Netanyahu will hold further consultations on Gaza over the next two days, the official added.
The official confirmed that annexing parts of the Strip is one of several ideas that have been bandied about in recent meetings.
The Hebrew-language Maariv daily reported on Monday that Netanyahu recently presented the annexation proposal in a meeting with a small group of ministers, who decided to establish a special entity for administering annexed areas.
Two sources told ABC News that annexation is “one of several options” being explored by Netanyahu.
Reversing such a move in the future would be extremely difficult. Under Israeli law, withdrawing from territory that has been formally annexed requires either the support of 80 lawmakers in the Knesset or a national referendum.
Witkoff said last week that the US would explore “alternative options” to free the hostages, and Trump indicated that he would support Israel moving ahead with military operations to try to “get rid of” Hamas.
“Now possibly the fight will have to be a little bit different,” said Trump in Scotland on Monday, adding that he told Netanyahu that “you’re going to have to now maybe do it a different way.”
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