Netanyahu says there is 'no way' Israel halts war in Gaza until Hamas is defeated
Tel Aviv, May 13 (AP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is “no way” Israel will halt its war in Gaza, even if a deal is reached to release more hostages.
His comments are likely to complicate talks on a new ceasefire that had seemed to gain momentum after Hamas released the last living American hostage on Monday in a gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region but skipping Israel.
They pointed to a potentially widening rift between Netanyahu and Trump, who had expressed hope that Monday's release of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander would be a step toward ending the 19-month war.
In comments released by his office Tuesday from a visit to wounded soldiers the previous day, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were just days away from a promised escalation of force and would enter Gaza “with great strength to complete the mission. ... It means destroying Hamas.”
Any ceasefire deal reached would be temporary, the prime minister said. If Hamas were to say they would release more hostages, “we'll take them, and then we'll go in. But there will be no way we will stop the war,” Netanyahu said. “We can make a ceasefire for a certain period of time, but we're going to the end.”
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The dispute over whether to end the conflict has been the main obstacle in negotiations going back more than a year.
Israel says 58 hostages remain in captivity, with as many as 23 of them said to be alive, although authorities have expressed concern about the condition of three of them.
Many of the 250 hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that started the war were freed in ceasefire deals.
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Speeding car kills lawyer, injures two others in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): A High Court lawyer was killed after being allegedly hit by a speeding car, which later rammed into a two-wheeler, injuring two others here, police said.
The deceased was identified as N Ramachandra Reddy (61). The injured were identified as Bharath (19), who was riding the scooter, and Swati (23), the pillion rider, police said.
The accident occurred at around 7.28 pm on December 17 and was captured on a CCTV camera, police said.
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According to police, Reddy was crossing the road near RMV Club in Dollars Colony in the Sanjaynagar area when a car, allegedly being driven at high speed in a rash and negligent manner, hit him.
The vehicle then moved forward and collided with a scooter, knocking down Bharath and Swati and causing injuries to them.
The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle and rammed into two parked cars, damaging all the vehicles involved, a senior police officer said.
Reddy was rushed to M S Ramaiah Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The two scooter riders were taken to Shirdi Sai Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the car, later identified as Shishir Patil (18), also sustained minor injuries and later appeared before the police. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.
Preliminary investigation suggests the accident occurred due to rash and negligent driving, police added.
A case has been registered under Sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 125(2) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Further investigation is underway.
