JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement on Saturday that seemed to contradict President Biden’s comments that would end the war in Gaza. 

Netanyahu’s office said that Israel’s conditions for ending the war – the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel – had not changed. 

In the second part of the statement posted on X, his office continued, “The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent cease-fire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter.”

In a speech from the White House on Friday, Biden presented what he called “a roadmap to an enduring cease-fire and the release of all hostages,” which he said came after intensive diplomacy carried out by a U.S. team with the leaders of Israel, Qatar, and Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.

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Biden said the plan for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, a return of all the hostages to Israel and rebuilding the war-torn territory – without allowing Hamas to return to power in any format – was part of “a comprehensive new proposal” that Israel had already offered Hamas. 

While both Israel and Hamas responded hesitantly to the challenge laid out by President Biden to permanently end the war in Gaza and release the 125 people taken hostage by the Iranian-backed terror group during its brutal attack against Israel on October 7, critics were quick to jump on the plan’s shortcomings. 

Critics have already jumped on the Biden offer. Former Trump National Security Advisor and FDD senior adviser Richard Goldberg told Fox News Digital, “To be clear, the president has just repackaged a Hamas proposal as a U.S.-endorsed Israeli proposal, perhaps believing this would make an Israeli surrender to Hamas more palatable to Israelis.”

Palestinian Hamas terrorists are seen during a military show in the Bani Suheila district on July 20, 2017, in Gaza City, Gaza. A protester at Stanford University with a headband similar to those worn by Hamas members was seen on an image submitted to the FBI.  (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

On Thursday, the Israeli military announced that it had taken control of the so-called “Philadelphi Corridor,” an eight-mile-long strip of land that runs along the border between Gaza and Egypt. Israel said the move aimed to weaken Hamas by cutting it off from tunnels used to smuggle weapons and ammunition into the Palestinian enclave. It also served as another blow to the terror group’s governing capabilities, which have been steadily diminishing through the eight-month war, even as it consistently turns down proposals for a cease-fire. 

In a statement also on Saturday, Hamas said that it viewed the president’s plan positively, particularly “his call for a permanent cease-fire, the withdrawal of [Israeli] forces from Gaza Strip, reconstruction and an exchange of prisoners.”

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The IDF says its “troops are continuing operations against terror targets in the area of Rafah.” IDF Spokesman’s Unit (IDF Spokesman’s Office)

Biden’s speech caught many in Israel off-guard. Given after the start of the Jewish sabbath, when many observant Israelis switch off phones and television sets, Israeli news commentators doubted that Netanyahu’s office had been made aware that the president was going to make such an address.

As he laid out his plan live on air, some wondered why the president had gone behind Netanyahu’s back to leak details of an offer to Hamas, which one day earlier had said it had rejected Israel’s proposal.

There was also confusion about whether Biden was really presenting the same plan that Netanyahu’s government had approved or whether it was a modified version. 

A spokesperson for the National Security Council (NSC) told Fox News Digital that it was the same plan. 

Thursday, October 12, 2023. Pictures of loved ones who have been captured by Hamas on display during a Defend Israeli Democracy UK press conference at Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London by Sharon Lifschitz and Noam Sagi, two London-based British Israelis whose parents are among the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. (Photo by Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images) (Photo by Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images)

In his speech, the president said the plan consisted of three phases: the first, which would take six weeks, would see a full and complete cease-fire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and a release of a number of hostages. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow Gaza’s civilians to return to their homes and neighborhoods in all of the Strip. 

Humanitarian assistance, he said, would surge “with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day.”

Phase two would see the release of all remaining hostages, including male soldiers, after which the cease-fire would become permanent. A third phase would involve major reconstruction of Gaza, which has largely been destroyed by eight months of fighting. 

Family members of Americans who were taken hostage by Hamas during the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, including (R-L) Ronen Neutra, Ruby Chen, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, Liz Naftali, Adi Alexander, Orna Neutra, and Yael Alexander talk to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House on December 13, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The families were invited to a private meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the government to consider the proposal, saying that it “cannot ignore President Biden’s important speech.”

“There is a deal on the table, and it needs to be made – I remind Netanyahu that he has a ‘safety net’ from us to make a deal, should Ben Gvir and Smotrich leave the government,” said Lapid, referring to hardline government ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich, who are likely to reject any suggestion that Israel end the war without completely defeating Hamas. 

Fox News’ Peter Aitken contributed to this story.

With summer just around the corner, we’re all dreaming of sunshine and swimming in the sea – but with the hot weather comes the risk of wildfires.

That’s where the European Union comes in. From June, they’re putting in place measures to bolster firefighting efforts in order to better protect communities across Europe – and the surrounding environment.

Following devastating fires in 2023 – recorded as some of the very worst this century – the EU has put together a team of 556 firefighters from 12 countries.

They’ll be strategically placed across key locations in Europe this summer, including in high risk areas like France, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

Local fire brigades can find themselves overwhelmed when the scale of a wildfire outsizes the response capabilities of a country.

The EU are also introducing a dedicated rescue fleet of firefighting aircraft, which will consist of 28 aeroplanes and 4 helicopters stationed in 10 of the bloc’s Member States.

There’s also €600 million in extra EU funds which will go towards buying 12 further firefighting planes in the future, which will be distributed among six Member States – as well as several helicopters.

Here’s what four of the countries involved are planning to do this summer to save lives, livelihoods and protect the environment when wildfire season arrives.

France

Météo-France recently announced they believe the summer of 2024 will likely be hotter than usual – especially in the Mediterranean region.

Last year, 22,400 hectares of forests were lost to wildfires. Using that tragic example, France has put in place some 3,600 firefighters and 600 vehicles, whose role will be to strengthen the resources of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service – known as the SDIS.

The resources come from regions typically less affected by forest fires and will bolster the work done by departments more likely to experience them.

France also has twelve Canadair CL-415s planes, which can each carry more than 6,000 litres of water. Two of them are positioned in Ajaccio in Corsica and the other ten in Nîmes.

They’ll be supported by a further eight Dash planes – seven based in Nîmes and another in Bordeaux. They can each carry 10,000 litres of water.

As of 1 June, they’ll be on active service as and when they are needed alongside a number of other aircraft with firefighting capabilities.

Portugal

2023 was an intense year of wildfires for Portugal and, as such, the country’s rural firefighting system will be reinforced from 1 June for the second time this year.

Ahead of the summer season, there will be some 12,096 operational units and 70 aircraft available for use.

Many of the people involved in the Special Rural Fire Fighting Device (DECIR) are volunteer firefighters. Others will be drawn from the Special Civil Protection Force, military personnel from the National Republican Guard and also from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests.

Unlike in France, Portugal will not be using Canadair planes, apparently due to difficulties in the market. That came as a surprise to the crews who had been carrying out this service for over 20 years.

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With the weather heating up from July, resources are set to be reinforced again from the first of the month until 30 September – the period considered as the most critical phase of fires.

In that three month stretch, 14,155 operational personnel from 3,162 teams will be on standby this year, as well as 3,173 vehicles – which is a slight increase compared to 2023.

Spain

2023 saw hundreds of thousands of hectares of woodland destroyed in Spain, as well as more than 3,000 people forced to evacuate the Canary Island of Tenerife in the summer season.

From 1 June, the Spanish state forest fire campaign is in place. Taking in consideration the tragedies of last year, authorities have introduced a more robust plan to more effectively fight any potential forest fires occurring in different areas of the country.

Last month, at a meeting of the State Coordination and Direction Committee (CECOD) in Spain, politicians came together to finalise plans.

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It includes the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF) and a fleet of high-capacity seaplanes, which is operated by the 43 Group of the Air and Space Army.

The Military Emergency Unit of the Ministry of Defence and the Civil Guard and National Police will be able to support devices put in place by the country’s various autonomous communities.

Catalonia has historically been one of the worst affected regions in Spain.

The acting Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, highlighted that it “faces an extremely complex campaign, which is not temporary and which has severe consequences.”

As a result, 240 new firefighters have been recruited to join hundreds of others.

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The Corps of Rural Agents has gone from having about 500 troops to a total of 620 in the face of the increased forest fire campaign.

There will also be 22 aircraft including planes and helicopters, with 4 amphibious craft located in Sabadell and Empuriabrava, supported by 821 cars and vans.

Less than halfway through the year, 2024 has been recorded as one of the driest ever in Catalonia in decades.

Between 1 January and 15 May 15 this year, firefighters have already battled 1,750 vegetation fires. That figure is slightly down on last year, though, thanks to heavy April rains.

Despite this, authorities have installed 5 levels to their climate emergency plan – meaning that they are as prepared as possible to fight any potential blazes ahead.

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Italy

“Good prevention, with the full involvement of municipalities and citizens, can serve to save thousands of hectares of vegetation,” Nello Musumeci, the Minister for Civil Protection in Italy said at a meeting earlier this spring.

Called to address this summer’s forest fire fighting campaign, the meeting was attended by representatives of Italy’s regions (ANCI), the Fire Brigade, the Armed Forces, as well as the Ministries of the Interior, Defence, Environment, Agriculture and Economy.

Italy is currently facing temperatures well above the usual, which have a knock on effect on the availability of water.

The south of the country and the islands are particularly likely to be affected, but all administrations in Italy have prepared contingencies for both forest fires and those in built up areas.

As well as this, Musumeci has made sure to put in place a widespread campaign of raising awareness among populations via the media.

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While many fires are due to climate change, he has a further plan.

“I will suggest the opportunity for greater surveillance in rural areas to discourage arsonists and criminals in their senseless purposes,” Musumeci suggests, “let’s remember that the vast majority of fires are caused by humans, through fault or malice.”