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July 10, 2014

Israel Rejects Hamas Ceasefire Terms; Minister Floats "Temporary" Gaza Takeover 
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On Wednesday, Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal offered to renew the
2012 ceasefire based on three conditions: an end to the Israeli
offensive, the release of prisoners initially freed under a prisoner
swap but recently re-arrested in Israeli raids, and Israeli respect for
the Palestinian unity government. Israeli officials have rejected
Meshaal's terms and vowed to continue the attack. Israeli Intelligence
Minister Yuval Steinitz suggested a looming ground invasion, saying
Israel "will have to take over Gaza temporarily, for a few weeks."
Speaking in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed
Hamas for rocket attacks on Israel and for the civilian deaths resulting
from Israeli strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Today we expanded our
operations against Hamas and the other terrorist groups in Gaza. We'll
continue to protect our civilians against Hamas attacks on them. Now,
Hamas, by contrast, is deliberately putting Palestinian civilians into
harm's way. It embeds its terrorists in hospitals and schools and
mosques, apartment buildings throughout the Gaza Strip. Hamas is thus
committing a double war crime: It targets Israeli civilians, while
hiding behind Palestinian civilians."

 

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