ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister visits Gaza border community as ceasefire deadline looms

Record ID: 398664

  • Title: ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister visits Gaza border community as ceasefire deadline looms
  • Date: 18th August 2014
  • Summary: NEAR GAZA BORDER, ISRAEL (AUGUST 18, 2014) (REUTERS) ISRAELI TANKS PARKED NEAR BORDER AREA WITH GAZA ISRAELI FLAG FLYING ATOP TANK GAZA COMMUNITY SEEN IN DISTANCE AND ISRAELI ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS ISRAELI ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS PARKED TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS CARRYING HEAVY GUN SOLDIERS WITH GUN ARRIVING AT ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS INSTALLING G
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACMEUEW9TZRAVBJ40JX6ULNCQZ
  • Story Text: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the southern Israeli town of Sderot, where he meets with members of youth organisations. As the ceasefire deadline with Gaza looms, the Prime Minister says, "We have a lot of force. You also need a lot of patience."


    Talks in Cairo on ending the Gaza war ticked closer to a deadline on Monday (August 18), with Israel and the Palestinians entrenched in their demands hours before the expiration of a five-day ceasefire.
    The truce is due to run out at 2100 GMT.
    Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the southern Israeli town of Sderot - a frequent target of rockets launched by militants in Gaza.
    In Sderot, Netanyahu met with members of youth organisations, where he urged patience.
    "It's not enough for us to have force. We have a lot of force. You also need a lot of patience. We have plenty of it. And the ones who prove that are you," Netanyahu said.
    The Palestinian Health Ministry put the Gaza death toll from this latest conflict at 2,016 and said most were civilians in the small, densely populated coastal territory. Sixty-four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel have been killed.
    Netanyahu said on Sunday that any deal on the territory's future had to meet Israel's security needs. He warned Hamas it faced "harsh strikes" if it resumed its attacks.
    Hamas also seeks the construction of a Gaza sea port and the reopening of an airport destroyed in previous conflicts, as part of any enduring halt to violence.
    Israel, which launched its offensive on July 8 after a surge in Hamas rocket fire across the border, has shown scant interest in making sweeping concessions, and has called for the disarming of militant groups in the enclave of 1.8 million people.
    Hamas has said that laying down its weapons is not an option.
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