Hamas and Islamic Jihad Reject Egypt's Proposal for Permanent Ceasefire; Netanyahu: The War Will Be Long

The two groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad rejected Egypt's proposal for them to relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire with Israel. Reuters reported on Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources, that both groups, supported by the Islamic Republic, have stated they will not concede anything beyond the possible release of individuals taken hostage on October 7. An official stated that the Islamic Jihad insists that any exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel must be based on the principle of 'all for all,' meaning the release of all hostages held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in exchange for the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israel. According to the Palestinian Prisoners Association, prior to the war, there were 5,250 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. However, with the arrest of thousands more in the West Bank and Gaza since October 7, this number has increased to about 10,000. Islamic Jihad had previously set the 'end of Israel's military assault' as a precondition for further negotiations. Officials from Islamic Jihad and Hamas have gone to Egypt for talks. On the other hand, reports indicate that the death toll from Israel's airstrike on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza has risen. According to hospital reports seen by the Associated Press, at least 106 people have been killed so far. This is one of the deadliest airstrikes by Israel. The Gaza Health Ministry is controlled by Hamas. Israel claims that Hamas hides behind civilians. Netanyahu: The War Will Be Long According to the Times of Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday, just hours after visiting Gaza, that the war with Hamas in Gaza is not over. Netanyahu said Israel will 'deepen' the war in the coming days. He stated, 'This battle will be long and is far from over.' Meanwhile, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, issued a public message on Monday for the first time following the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, which was warlike and also spoke of Hamas's achievements in the war. Sinwar acknowledged in a message to Hamas's political leadership that the group is facing an 'intense, violent, and unprecedented battle' with Israel. However, he also claimed that the group is on the path to suppressing the Israeli army's forces and stated that Hamas will not submit to Israel's 'occupying conditions.' According to the Times of Israel, Sinwar falsely claimed that the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, have targeted over 5,000 Israeli soldiers and officers and killed about one-third of them, which would mean Hamas has killed over 1,500 Israeli forces. In contrast, the Israeli army, which also provides the names of the deceased, has reported one-tenth of Sinwar's claimed figures. According to the Israeli army, 156 soldiers have been killed so far in ground operations in Gaza. More than 300 security personnel were killed in the initial and sudden Hamas attack on October 7. The Hamas leader also claimed that about 3,500 Israeli soldiers have been seriously injured or incapacitated, and provided large figures of destroyed Israeli military equipment. The number of injured in the Israeli army, according to the army, is less than 200. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant personally threatened Sinwar moments after his speech, stating that he will soon 'face our gun barrels.' Finding and targeting Sinwar is one of the objectives of Israeli forces. The Israeli assault on Gaza began after the terrorist attack by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the hostage-taking of about 240. Most of the casualties and hostages were civilians. Following this, Israel besieged the Gaza Strip and launched air and then ground operations aimed at destroying Hamas. Officials of the Gaza government, controlled by the Hamas militant group, state that at least 20,000 people, most of whom are civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks. In contrast, Israel emphasizes that Hamas uses civilians and residential areas as human shields. The United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. This report utilized information from the Associated Press, Reuters, and the Times of Israel.