JERUSALEM: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers on Monday that “some progress” had been made in negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
His comments in parliament come two days after three Palestinian groups said in a rare joint statement that a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza war and to exchange prisoners was “closer than ever.”
In recent days, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States were held in Doha, rekindling hope of an agreement, more than 14 months into the Gaza war.
“Everything we are doing cannot be disclosed. We are taking actions to bring them back. I wish to say cautiously that there has been some progress, and we will not stop acting until we bring them all home,” Netanyahu said in parliament.
“I want to say to the families of the hostages: We are thinking of you and we will not give up on your loved ones, who are our loved ones as well.”
Israel ‘more optimistic’ on prospects of Gaza hostage deal
On Saturday, Hamas and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a joint statement that progress had been made to reach a ceasefire deal.
“The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions,” the three groups said after they held talks in Cairo a day earlier.
During the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, 251 people were abducted, of whom 96 remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the military.
‘Full force’
In his address to lawmakers, Netanyahu also warned the Iran-backed Huthi rebels of Yemen, who last week fired two missiles at Israel, including one that injured 16 people in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv on Saturday.
“I have instructed our forces to destroy the infrastructure of Huthis because anyone who tries to harm us will be struck with full force. We will continue to crush the forces of evil with strength and ingenuity, even if it takes time,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli warplanes retaliated against ports and energy infrastructure, which the military said contributed to Huthi rebel operations, after a rebel missile badly damaged an Israeli school last week. The Huthis said the Israeli strikes killed nine people.
Netanyahu also stated that he wanted to sign new peace accords with Arab countries, similar to the “Abraham Accords” negotiated in 2020 by the United States, which saw Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco establish formal ties with Israel.
“Moderate Arab countries view Israel as a regional power and a potential ally. I intend to seize this opportunity to the fullest,” he said.
“Together with our American friends, I plan to expand the Abraham Accords… and thus change even more dramatically the face of the Middle East.”
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