Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured families of hostages held by the Hamas terror group in Gaza that he would not agree to a deal jeopardizing Israel’s security, but political considerations would not hinder a potential agreement.
Reports suggest an ongoing examination of a deal between Israel and Hamas. As of Wednesday night, Hamas had not responded to an outlined deal agreed upon by Israeli, American, Egyptian, and Qatar representatives in Paris on Sunday. The deal’s key elements are reportedly unsettled, with Hamas insisting on a permanent ceasefire, a point Israel opposes.
Mossad chief David Barnea presented the deal’s main principles to the war cabinet, proposing a phased release of 35 women, sick, injured, and elderly hostages, with a 35-day fighting halt. A subsequent week-long pause would precede negotiations for the release of young men and hostages defined as soldiers.
Netanyahu assured families that his government’s survival wasn’t a decisive factor, expressing willingness to approve a good deal for Israel. However, he emphasized that if the deal jeopardized security or failed to meet goals, he would reject it.
Netanyahu refrained from divulging specifics and rejected the families’ request for an immediate hostage release, advocating a staged process. He also refused to prioritize hostage release over other war goals, asserting that advancing one goal shouldn’t harm others.
Following concerns from representatives over Netanyahu’s stance, he released a video emphasizing the pursuit of a hostage release framework but underscored red lines, including not ending the war, retaining IDF presence in Gaza, and not releasing thousands of terrorists.
Israel aims to simultaneously pursue the elimination of Hamas and ensure Gaza poses no future threat. Netanyahu affirmed commitment to all three goals, refusing to compromise on any.
