Posted on 02/11/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Tel Aviv, Israel - Feb. 11, 2025 - The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening officially announced the cessation of negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire deal with the Hamas terror group.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas will return Israelis kidnapped during the October 7 massacre in exchange for Israel's release of terrorists, including some who are serving life sentences. Israel has also ceased strikes on Hamas in Gaza, and withdrew from key areas, including the Netzarim Corridor.
A diplomatic source noted that the decision to cease talks for the second stage, which would include additional Israeli withdrawals and compromises, as well as the release of young men who were taken hostage, Hamas violated the agreement "and therefore there will be no progress on continuing to implement the deal and on negotiations for the second stage without the return of our hostages."
"The Cabinet expects the release of all nine hostages from the first stage, within a few days," the source added. All nine hostages are men, either elderly, ill, or injured. The bodies of eight hostages who were either women, elderly, or injured, are also expected to be released in the first stage.
Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Israel's Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, on Tuesday morning told Galei Israel that Israel will not bend to Hamas' attempts at blackmail.
"Whoever thought that they could blackmail the State of Israel with such tricks and other things - it will not happen," he said.
Cohen also added that Israel has adopted US President Donald Trump's position regarding the full release of all hostages.
"The Cabinet's position is identical to that of the US President: The return of all hostages and bodies on (sic) Saturday - or hell," he said.
He also hinted that Israel may renew the fighting if hostages do not continue to be released.
"We will adhere to Trump's words and adopt them," Cohen stressed. "I see Hamas' announcement that they will not keep the agreement as a clear violation of the agreement."
The Diplomatic-Security Cabinet met earlier on Tuesday, after Hamas announced that it would not return any hostages on Saturday. All of the Cabinet members expressed support for Trump's demand that all hostages be released by noon Saturday, as well as for Trump's vision for Gaza after the war.