Israel war news: Is Gaza ceasefire on cards? Israeli PM Netanyahu hints at possible hostage deal with Hamas
AFP. Asked whether there is a potential deal to free more of the hostages being held by Hamas militants, Netanyahu replied: "There could be." However, he did not elaborate on any potential strategy that may be implemented to release all or part of the 239 captives that Israel claims are being kept. "I think the less I say about it, the more I'll increase the chances that it materializes," he added. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has flatly rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza without the release of the hostages.
In a series of appearances on US Sunday talk shows, he sought to make clear Israel was doing everything it could to rescue or secure the release of those held captive. According to John Kirby, the White House National Security Council told MSNBC that, "active negotiation and conversations going on with our counterparts in the region" regarding a possible hostages agreement. However, like Netanyahu, he did not provide specifics.
"The less said publicly about these sensitive negotiations and conversations, probably the better," Kirby said. In a conversation with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Sunday, US President Joe Biden concurred that all hostages held by Hamas should be released "without further delay," as stated by the White House. Meanwhile, Netanyahu also addressed the issue of Gaza's hospitals, which have become trapped in the fighting, and in particular Al-Shifa, the Hamas-run territory's largest hospital, which authorities say faces a catastrophic situation.
On the 37th day of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Israeli military supplied 300 litres of fuel to Shifa Hospital for critical medical needs. According to the IDF, Hamas prevented the hospital from accepting the fuel. “Our troops risked their
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