Netanyahu's Talk of Peace Is Mere Masquerade for Gaza Destruction

The Israeli leader's objective is still to take over Gaza City and destroy Hamas

- Jonathan Eyal

LONDON - War or peace? Coming under heavy international pressure to avoid a planned military storming of Gaza City, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now pushing a novel idea: He will continue military preparations for the offensive, but also discuss a deal to end the conflict.

On Aug 21, Mr Netanyahu said that he had "given instructions" to "begin immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages and an end to the war, on conditions that are acceptable for Israel".

But Mr Netanyahu spoke at the headquarters of the Israel Defence Force's southern command, where military chiefs and members of the Israeli cabinet gathered to approve the latest operational plans to "take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas".

"These two things - the defeat of Hamas and the release of all our hostages - go hand in hand," Mr Netanyahu stated.

Hamas, the militant Palestinian organisation in control of the Gaza Strip, offered a ceasefire on Aug 18. But the Israeli Prime Minister rejected that offer and is now proposing to restart the negotiations on new terms that he refuses to spell out.

Furthermore, in subsequent interviews with foreign media networks, Mr Netanyahu continued to claim that his objective remains the "destruction" of Hamas, rather than any accommodation with the organisation.

In all likelihood, therefore, Israel's latest diplomatic initiative is only intended to gain time and deflect criticism.

Currently, around one million Palestinians live in the largest city in the Gaza Strip, many of them internally displaced from the north.

Israel on Aug 8 announced its intention to capture Gaza City, and an army spokesman confirmed on Aug 20 that the first steps of the operation had begun.