Israeli MP: Rejection of second phase of hostage deal poses threat to society

Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) Avigdor Lieberman has stated that rejection of the second phase of deal involving the release of the remaining hostages poses a catastrophic threat to society.

Lieberman made these remarks during a meeting of the Yisrael Beiteinu faction on February 10, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media. 

He stated that after the Holocaust, the phrase "Never again" was established, but the events of the previous weekend demonstrate that the current government is leading the country back to that point. He warned that if the government decides not to proceed with the second phase of the deal, it will result in a division within the nation that has never been seen before. He added that this, combined with the draft-dodging law, poses a catastrophic threat to society.

As for the creation of a state investigative commission on the events of October 7, 2023, Lieberman emphasised, "We must remember that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu promised to establish such a commission. This was not a pre-election statement, it was an official promise by Israel. We cannot back away from this." 

Meanwhile, member of the political bureau of the radical Palestinian Hamas movement Moussa Abu Marzouk has said that negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip have not begun, with the responsibility for the delay lying with the Israeli side.  

"Negotiations for the second phase of the agreement have not started, and the delay in their scheduling is due to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's trip to the US," he said.  

The ceasefire regime in the Palestinian enclave went into effect on January 19. According to the terms of the agreement, the first phase will last 42 days, during which Hamas will release at least 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The second phase of the deal involves the release of the remaining hostages and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

By Naila Huseynova