Gaza deal must allow fighting until Israel's war goals are met, says Netanyahu

Jerusalem: Any Gaza ceasefire deal must allow for Israel to keep fighting until it achieves its war objectives, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

He added that the deal must prohibit weapons smuggling to Hamas via the Gaza-Egypt border and should not allow for thousands of armed militants to return to northern Gaza. Israel will maximise the number of live hostages returned, Netanyahu said in a statement.