Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has ordered to continue negotiations with Hamas in accordance with the US proposal to release 11 living hostages, according to Hebrew media reports.
Hamas has not yet agreed to the proposal, but has expressed its willingness to release one living Israeli captive with American citizenship and four bodies.
The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli Prime Minister held a discussion session on Saturday regarding talks with Hamas.
Netanyahu received a brief presentation from the negotiating team returning from the Qatari capital, Doha, where the talks addressed the possibility of a return to fighting, including the possibility of launching “surprise operations.”
At the conclusion of the discussion, Netanyahu’s office announced that the discussion on the hostage issue was “in-depth.”
Netanyahu instructed the negotiating team to “prepare to resume talks based on the mediators’ response to the proposal of US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff for the immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the dead.”
Hamas announced on Friday that it had submitted its response to the proposal submitted at dawn on Friday, including its agreement to release Israeli soldier Idan Alexander, who holds US citizenship, in addition to the bodies of four other dual nationals.
Hamas affirmed its complete readiness to begin negotiations and reach a comprehensive agreement on the issues of the second phase, calling for Israel to fully implement its obligations.
