The Israeli chief’s feedback got here after Qatar confirmed talks are on for a potential new truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made feedback, suggesting that new negotiations have been underneath solution to recuperate hostages held by Hamas.
In a televised press convention on Saturday, Netanyahu known as the battle an “existential war” that should be fought till victory, regardless of stress and prices, and mentioned Gaza could be demilitarised and underneath Israeli safety management.
His statements got here a day after Israeli forces mistakenly killed three of greater than 100 captives.
Netanyahu mentioned Israel’s offensive in Gaza had helped clinch a partial hostage-release deal in November and promised to keep up intense army stress on Hamas.
“The instruction I am giving the negotiating team is predicated on this pressure, without which we have nothing,” he mentioned.
Netanyahu’s feedback got here after the chief of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence company, met the prime minister of Qatar, a rustic mediating between Israel and Hamas, and whose efforts resulted in a seven-day truce and trade of hostages final month.
Earlier on Saturday, Qatar confirmed that talks have been underneath manner for a potential new truce.
Netanyahu sidestepped a query concerning the assembly reportedly held in Europe, however confirmed he had given directions to the negotiating workforce.
“We have serious criticisms of Qatar … but right now we are trying to complete the recovery of our hostages,” he mentioned.
A Hamas assertion later mentioned the group “affirms its position not to open any negotiations to exchange prisoners unless the aggression against our people stops once and for all”.
“The movement communicated this position to all mediators,” it added.
On Friday, Israeli forces admitted to mistakenly killing three Hamas-held hostages, all of their 20s, within the Shijaiyah space of Gaza Metropolis, the place the troops are engaged in fierce combating with Hamas.
Israel continues to pound Gaza, killing almost 19,000 Palestinians since October 7. Hundreds extra are feared buried underneath rubble.
Israel says not less than 1,147 folks have been killed within the Hamas assault on its soil two months in the past.
The ten-week struggle has flattened a lot of northern Gaza and displaced 85 p.c of the territory’s inhabitants of two.3 million from their houses.
