Netanyahu rejects US calls for ceasefire deal, says Gaza war will not end soon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls to end the war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

In the interview with Time magazine conducted on 4 August, Netanyahu revealed the initial outlines of his plan for Gaza after the war.

According to the Israeli prime minister, after Hamas leaves power, he wants to recruit Arab countries to help establish a Palestinian entity that does not threaten Israel, perhaps with the support of regional partners, while Israel maintains supreme security control, similar to the current situation in the occupied West Bank.

“Our goal is to destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its ability to govern, and most importantly, to restore the principle of deterrence,” Netanyahu added.

With regards to Gaza, he said, “our goal is to achieve a decisive victory to the extent that Hamas does not pose any threat to Israel.”

In the interview, Netanyahu also rejected US calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, claiming Tel Aviv is facing “an entire Iranian axis” and warning of a possible escalation on other fronts, including in the north against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and in the Gulf against the Houthis in Yemen.

Netanyahu vehemently denied claims he is prolonging the war for his personal gain, insisting that the goal is to ensure that Hamas cannot threaten Israel in the future. Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and faces a number of court cases.

Read: Israel surprised by White House statements on upcoming truce with Hamas