Benjamin Netanyahu presented himself before a massive digital map that curiously omitted the West Bank, elaborating on the rationale behind why Israeli troops would remain in Gaza for the foreseeable future.
Although he has typically refrained from engaging with local media throughout the conflict, he was compelled to attend this press briefing due to mounting pressure from large-scale protests erupting on the streets of the nation.
If those congregating outside the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv were seeking a gesture of negotiation, they were left disappointed.
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Netanyahu positioned before a map of Gaza during the press conference on Monday. Pic: Reuters
Netanyahu offered no concessions, neither symbolically nor literally. He asserted that Israel could not—and would not—relinquish control over the Philadelphi corridor in southern Gaza, and this prompted a former IDF spokesperson to tweet that this decision “sealed the fate of the hostages.”
If his aim was to persuade doubtful Israeli journalists and an irate population, he fell short. He was even unable to sway his own defence minister.
He faced questions regarding why he consented to withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor in May only to change his stance subsequently. He attempted to assert that he had never made such a pledge. However, mediators offered a contrasting narrative.
When confronted about his accountability for the hostages’ deaths, he attributed it solely to Hamas, framing it as the behavior of a group disinterested in negotiations.
If there was to be any faint indication of compromise, it was his admission that “we don’t have to be there with a massive presence, we need to be there with a definitive presence”.
Pic: Reuters
Furious demonstrators are unlikely to have been persuaded by Netanyahu’s press briefing. Pic: Reuters
Could this lend negotiators some latitude to discuss terms?
One factor was undeniably evident: even if the initial six-week phase of a ceasefire is reached, there exists no prospect for its prolongation.
Discover more: Who are the six Israeli hostages confirmed deceased?
Netanyahu has navigated numerous challenges throughout his extensive tenure as the nation’s leader, but none as profound as this.
He holds firm in his belief that his strategy concerning Gaza is the correct approach and remains convinced that he can endure this mounting pressure.
Perhaps, yet his unwillingness to yield ground coupled with the precarious situation of the hostages could trap him in a dilemma that Israel might never forgive.
