(TJV NEWS) As reported by The Times of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement Saturday night making clear that Israel will only accept a comprehensive deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“The Prime Minister’s Office clarifies that Israel will agree to a deal on condition that all the hostages are released in one go, and in accordance with our conditions for ending the war that include the disarming of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter, and the installation of non-Hamas and non-Palestinian Authority governance that will live in peace with Israel,” the statement read.
The remarks came amid reports of renewed Hamas flexibility in Cairo negotiations this week. Israeli and Arab officials told The Times of Israel that Hamas has signaled a willingness to step back from earlier demands that had stalled talks in Doha. Recent reports also suggest Hamas might reconsider the “Witkoff proposal,” a 60-day phased ceasefire plan under which half the remaining hostages would be freed, while longer-term negotiations would address the war’s conclusion.
Despite this, Netanyahu remains firm, rejecting any partial arrangement. Channel 12 reported that he recently received a “dramatic” document from a professional source indicating Hamas’s readiness for a limited deal—something the group had previously ruled out without an upfront commitment to a permanent ceasefire.
Meanwhile, demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem’s Paris Square on Saturday, calling on the government to reach an agreement to secure the hostages’ release.
