Netanyahu: Israel ready for permanent Gaza ceasefire, if Hamas disarms

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that 'Israel' is willing to negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Hamas, on the condition that the group surrenders its weapons and relinquishes control of the Gaza Strip.

“We are ready to achieve this through negotiations,” Netanyahu said, “but if it cannot be achieved within 60 days, we will have to achieve it through other means, by using... the force of our heroic army.”

His comments came as Gaza’s Civil Defense agency reported a deadly day across the enclave, including a devastating 'Israeli' airstrike that killed at least eight children and wounded dozens more near a health clinic in Deir el-Balah. Among the victims was a one-year-old boy who had reportedly spoken his first words just hours earlier, according to the UN children’s agency.

The attack was condemned by humanitarian organizations. “A blatant violation of humanitarian law,” said Rabih Torbay, head of US-based Project HOPE, which runs the clinic. A witness, Yousef Al-Aydi, described the scene as “blood and deafening screams” after a drone strike hit the crowd waiting in line for nutritional aid.

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) confirmed the strike, stating it had targeted a Hamas operative involved in the October 2023 events.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts have intensified. Negotiations, mediated indirectly via Qatar, have focused on a proposed 60-day truce in exchange for the release of captives still held by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023. 'Israeli' Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Austria’s Die Presse that eight captives would be released at first, followed by two more later in the truce, along with the return of 18 bodies.

Still, several unresolved issues remain. Hamas is demanding the full withdrawal of the IOF from Gaza, unrestricted aid access, and “real guarantees” toward a lasting peace. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim also rejected the continued 'Israeli' control over Rafah and strategic corridors that 'Israel' says will become "buffer zones."

Naim accused 'Israel' of using aid as a tool of control and called for an end to food deliveries handled by US and 'Israeli'-backed organizations, claiming they have resulted in civilian deaths.

Saar acknowledged that discussions over a long-term ceasefire are underway, but warned of “major differences” concerning Hamas’s future role in Gaza. He said 'Israel' is even prepared to offer Hamas leaders safe passage into exile, but reiterated that Hamas must be fully demilitarized.