Gaza ceasefire ‘a non-starter’ until Israeli conditions met, says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure to agree to a ceasefire. Picture: AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, Pool, File

Israel’s prime minister has called a permanent ceasefire in Gaza a “non-starter” until long-standing conditions for ending the war are met, appearing to undermine a proposal that US President Joe Biden had announced as an Israeli one.

The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office came a day after Mr Biden outlined the plan, and as families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas called for all parties to immediately accept the proposal.