Israeli Deputy FM Haskel Accuses Hamas of Blocking Ceasefire, Warns of Iranian Threat
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said the war in Gaza could end immediately if Hamas agreed to release the remaining hostages and disarm, accusing the group of rejecting multiple ceasefire offers. Speaking in Jerusalem, Haskel blamed Hamas for dragging out the conflict, saying, “The war could end tomorrow if Hamas released the remaining 59 hostages and laid down its weapons.” She claimed the group had dismissed “three concrete proposals” put forward by both Israel and the United States.
“This is not only what Israel is saying. This is what the US is saying,” she added, citing comments by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
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Haskel also focused on Iran, calling it “the greatest threat to our world today” and accusing the Islamic Republic of seeking global domination through its nuclear program. “They do not need these facilities at all,” she said, arguing that Iran’s claims about peaceful uses—such as nuclear medicine or electricity—do not justify its uranium enrichment. “Everything they claim to need can be imported,” she added.
Asked about Iran’s efforts to involve Russia in nuclear negotiations, Haskel avoided commenting on specifics but reiterated Israel’s position: “Israel’s goal is a non–nuclear-armed Iran.” She concluded by characterizing Israel as “the front line of trying to combat Iran for humanity, for the rest of the world.”
