Dermer meets with Qatari officials in Paris, although Israeli official says no plans to send delegation to talks; Smotrich reportedly threatens to quit government as Gantz weighs return. As Egypt presses Israel for a response on the latest ceasefire proposalapproved by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instead announced on Wednesday that he was “shortening the timelines” for the IDF’s plans to conquer Gaza City, a day after Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with Qatari officials in Paris to discuss the negotiations.
While momentum has mounted over the past few days toward reaching a hostage release deal, Netanyahu has continued to dismiss such efforts, focusing instead of the plan approved by the cabinet earlier this month to intensify fighting in the Gaza Strip, though he has not outright rejected the latest proposal.
In a statement Wednesday evening, Netanyahu said he had instructed the army to “shorten the timelines for seizing the last terror strongholds and for the defeat of Hamas,” referring to the IDF’s upcoming offensive in Gaza City.“ The prime minister expresses his deep appreciation to the reserve fighters who were mobilized and to their families, and to all IDF soldiers,” his office added, after the IDF said Tuesday that 60,000 reservists were being called up ahead of the operation. The IDF’s plans for the capture of Gaza City are set to be presented to Netanyahu on Thursday, according to military officials. (Read More)
