Israeli leader says no Gaza deal before bodies of troops return
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s prime minister on Sunday ruled out any deal with Gaza’s Hamas rulers in which the bodies of two Israeli soldiers would be returned in exchange for easing the closure of the blockaded territory, saying such a lopsided exchange would only encourage more violence.
Netanyahu’s comments came as thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv, calling on the government to take a tougher stance against Gaza’s Hamas rulers.
“The State of Israel does not abandon its soldiers,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “We are working to return home Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.”
Goldin and Shaul were killed in a war in 2014 with Hamas and their remains are believed to be held by the Islamic militant group.
Hamas has held the bodies of Goldin and Shaul since the 2014 war, along with two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza on their own. In return, Israel is believed to hold numerous Hamas gunmen killed in fighting over the years.
In his first extensive comments on the Egyptian-mediated indirect negotiations with Hamas, Netanyahu said he was committed to returning the soldiers.
“I am not afraid of more fronts,” he said, apparently referring to the protesters. “We will not turn all of Israel into a weapon for pressure. We will act responsibly and with determination.”
Hamas has been leading weekly protests along the Israeli border for the past year. The protests often turn violent, with Palestinians throwing stones, burning tires and hurling incendiary devices at Israeli troops. Israeli forces have responded with tear gas and live fire.