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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the statement in video shot from Gaza Division.
Netanyahu says Israel will push to defeat Hamas in Gaza while opening talks on a deal to free hostages and end the war. (IMAGE: AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video message said that he has instructed to begin immediate negotiations for the release of all the Israeli hostages and bring an “end to the war, on terms acceptable to Israel”.
He said he was in Gaza Division to approve the military plans to “take over Gaza City to defeat Hamas”, according to a report by Haaretz.
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“I have instructed to begin immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages and an end to the war, on terms acceptable to Israel. These two things, defeating Hamas and releasing all our hostages, go hand in hand,” he said.
The Israeli PM said he “appreciated the presence of the reserve soldiers and the regular army for this vital goal”.
Netanyahu, however, left ambiguity over Israel’s response to the outline put forward by mediators for a limited hostage deal, which Hamas accepted earlier this week. While he has repeatedly said he seeks a deal that secures the release of all hostages, he has so far stopped short of explicitly rejecting a limited agreement, the Haaretz report outlined.
Israel and Hamas have held indirect negotiations throughout the nearly two-year conflict, resulting in two short ceasefires during which Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
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