As the situation in Gaza intensifies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism regarding the potential release of all hostages currently held by Hamas. In a statement made late Saturday, he mentioned that Israel is preparing for indirect negotiations based on a peace plan proposed by the United States.
Negotiations underway for hostages’ release
Netanyahu revealed that a delegation has been dispatched to Egypt to work on finalizing the technical aspects of the negotiations. He emphasized, “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days,” indicating an urgent desire to resolve the hostage situation swiftly.
The proposed plan suggests that Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages, with approximately 20 believed to be alive, within a three-day period. In exchange, Hamas would disarm and relinquish control while Israel would be expected to cease its military actions, withdraw from significant portions of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian detainees, and facilitate humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.
Military strategy and ongoing conflict
Despite this progress, Netanyahu has made it clear that a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is not on the table, a demand that Hamas has consistently pushed for. Following Hamas’s partial acceptance of the US plan, which received a positive response from President Donald Trump, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will maintain control over certain areas of Gaza and that Hamas will be disarmed, either diplomatically or through military means.
“Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off,” Trump cautioned, signaling the need for urgency in the negotiations.
In the backdrop of these diplomatic discussions, violence continues to escalate. Reports from hospital officials in Gaza indicate that at least 22 individuals, including women and children, were killed during Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, despite calls from Trump for Israel to halt its bombardment.
Israeli military leaders have stated that they are preparing for the first phase of the US plan, with local media suggesting that the army has shifted to a defensive posture and will refrain from active strikes. However, airstrikes in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood resulted in numerous casualties, with 17 confirmed dead and 25 others injured, according to Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim.
As the conflict persists, the Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah reported additional fatalities from Israeli strikes early Saturday morning, indicating the ongoing nature of the violence. While the military expressed regret for any civilian casualties, some residents in Gaza City noted a decrease in the frequency of strikes on that day.