Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ended a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of Palestinians. The move comes after Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners pushed him to continue the war with Hamas.
Netanyahu had agreed to a ceasefire in January but faced pressure from his coalition partners and families of hostages to restart the fighting. He had repeatedly cast doubt on the possibility of a lasting ceasefire before Hamas is destroyed, saying “We are committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas.”
The US President Donald Trump’s administration has backed Netanyahu’s decision, despite previous claims to have brokered the ceasefire. The agreement reached in January called for a phased ceasefire aimed at freeing all hostages and ending the war.
However, Netanyahu had been skeptical of the second phase of the agreement, which required Israel to release remaining hostages and withdraw from Gaza. He instead chose to continue the fighting, citing concerns over Hamas’ military capabilities and control over the territory.
The ceasefire breakdown has sparked condemnation from Palestinians, Arab countries, and human rights experts, who say it would violate international law. Trump’s plan to relocate Gaza’s population has been universally condemned, with many seeing it as an attempt to take ownership of the territory.
Netanyahu’s decision to end the ceasefire has weakened his coalition partners, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, but has earned support from far-right ally Itamar Ben-Gvir. The move has also cemented Netanyahu’s reputation as a hawk on security issues, which has been criticized by many Israelis and international observers.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-netanyahu-ff48f081b069e484955a72bc68261364