Israel PM Netanyahu spurns US push for Palestinian state

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the United States' calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state once the conflict in Gaza ends.

Netanyahu pledged to continue the offensive in Gaza "until complete victory", encompassing the destruction of Hamas and the release of remaining Israeli hostages, the BBC reports.

The Hamas-run health ministry says the Gaza conflict has resulted in nearly 25,000 Palestinian casualties, while displacing 85 percent of the region's population.

As a result, Israel faces mounting international pressure to scale back its military actions and engage in meaningful peace talks.

Both allies and adversaries of Israel, including the United States, have advocated for a revival of the "two-state solution", whereby a future Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.

Many believe that the current crisis could potentially drive the conflicting parties towards diplomacy, seen as the only sustainable alternative to ongoing violence. However, Netanyahu's recent statements suggest a different approach.

Reacting to Netanyahu's remarks, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby acknowledged the differing perspectives between the US and Israel.

Netanyahu, earlier on Thursday, said that Israel must maintain security control over all territories west of the River Jordan, which would encompass any proposed Palestinian state.

"This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty. What to do? I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security," he said.