Netanyahu Says Significant Progress Made in Talks to Release Hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that there had been "significant progress" in efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, but that it was "too soon" to raise hopes that a deal would be reached.
Despite efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to restore a ceasefire in Gaza, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal.
Netanyahu, who has come under pressure from within his right-wing coalition to continue the war and block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, said in a video statement shared by his office that there had been progress, without providing details.
A source familiar with the negotiations said that Washington had been giving Hamas more assurances, in the form of steps that would lead to an end to the war, but said it was U.S. officials who were optimistic, not Israeli ones. The source said there was pressure from Washington to have a deal done as soon as possible.
The White House National Security Council and representatives for U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who is leading U.S. efforts in the ceasefire talks, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither did Hamas representatives.
Israel's leadership has said that it would wage war until the remaining 55 hostages held in Gaza are freed and when Hamas, whose October 2023 attack sparked the war, has been dismantled.
Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, has said it would no longer govern after the war if a Palestinian, non-partisan technocratic committee took over, but it has refused to disarm.
The U.S. has proposed a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it would abide by the terms but Hamas has sought amendments. The militants have said that they would release all hostages in exchange for a permanent end to the war.
The war in Gaza has raged since Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in the October 2023 attack and took 251 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Strike talk as leverage: What's driving Israel's messaging on Iran?
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar Despite an agreement with Washington not to strike Iran, Israel continues to promote the need for such an attack, particularly amid Tehran's insistence on continuing uranium enrichment. Israeli concerns will be discussed in Washington by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad Director David Barnea, who are set to meet with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of the sixth round of talks with the Iranians, scheduled for Sunday. Despite security and military officials expecting the Israeli delegation to fail in persuading Donald Trump of the need to launch a strike on Iran, sources familiar with the phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the two leaders are aligned — each for his reasons — in promoting the possibility of such an attack. Trump continues to signal the potential for military action, hoping Iran will back down from its demands and move negotiations forward. Netanyahu, meanwhile, amplifies threats of a strike to serve domestic political purposes, aiming to prevent the collapse of his government. In both cases, all reports indicate that Israel cannot carry out such an attack without U.S. approval. An Israeli report reveals that any strike on Iran would require reaching facilities buried dozens of meters deep in solid rock, while the weaponry currently available to Tel Aviv can only achieve minimal damage — whether in terms of bomb effectiveness or aircraft capability. This has made the reality of the threat increasingly transparent, amid two possible scenarios: If Netanyahu's government falls following a potential Knesset collapse — should ultra-Orthodox parties succeed in their political battle — Israel's priorities, already shifting toward early elections, could be reshaped. If Netanyahu survives the vote, securing his political standing, the Iranian file may recede from the top of his agenda.
MTV Lebanon
10 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable
President of the Republic Joseph Aoun emphasized the state's firm commitment to implementing structural reforms, combating corruption, and reinforcing the rule of law during a meeting with a delegation from the Beirut Merchants Association. He underlined the central role of the judiciary in restoring confidence and confirmed that reform tracks have already begun. Addressing economic concerns, Aoun acknowledged the hardship faced by the commercial sector and broader population but stressed that recovery requires time and collective effort. 'The train is now on the right track,' he said, calling on all sectors — including the commercial — to contribute to national recovery. Moreover, the President praised the resilience of Lebanese merchants, urging solidarity and perseverance: 'There is no such thing as impossible. The road is difficult, but we can overcome it.' Aoun also highlighted progress in security, reaffirming the military's role in asserting state authority and efforts to resolve arms issues in Palestinian camps through coordination with President Mahmoud Abbas.
Ya Libnan
10 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
Growing fears of massive strikes on Iran as nuclear negotiations sputter
If the U.S.-Iranian talks fail, and strikes on Iran occur, the ramifications could be very far-reaching. U.S. President Donald Trump has been presented with a broad array of potential military options against Iran should ongoing nuclear negotiations with that country fail. Israel is already reportedly moving ever closer to at least being in a position to launch its own strikes on Iranian nuclear sites . The direct and indirect blowback from any such operations against Iran could be immense. Fears that U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks are on the verge of collapse have been steadily growing in the past week or so amid statements from both sides outlining potentially intractable positions. Iran's ability to continue domestic enrichment of nuclear material that could be used to produce nuclear weapons has emerged as a key stumbling block to reaching a deal. 'If the President directed [it], is CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] prepared to respond with overwhelming force to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran?' Congressman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, asked U.S. Army Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee today. Kurilla is currently head of CENTCOM, making him the top officer overseeing operations across the Middle East. 'I have provided the Secretary of Defense [Pete Hegseth] and the President [Trump] a wide range of options,' Kurilla said in response. 'I take that as a yes?' Rogers, the present chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, asked in return, appearing to refer to the specific wording of his question, to include the possible use of 'overwhelming force.' 'Yes,' Kurrila said. Top U.S. military commander in the Middle East General Kurilla confirms that he has presented military options on Iran to President Trump & SecDef Hegseth in House Armed Services Committee this morning. It is important to note here that U.S. presidents and defense secretaries regularly ask to be briefed on potential military options in light of crises or heightened risks of one erupting. Being presented with a full range of operational possibilities, including large-scale strikes or other significant direct action, does not mean the United States is automatically committed to pursuing any specific course of action, something we will come back to later on. Publicly, Trump has consistently advocated for reaching a deal with Iran to avoid any need to take military action, though he has also raised the possibility of military action in the event talks reach a dead end. He has separately said that he has pressed his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to hold off on striking Iranian targets while negotiations are ongoing. There have been reports of significant friction between the two leaders , as well. Amid all this, the U.S. president is said to be facing increasingly intense pressure from a faction of domestic political allies to acquiesce to and/or join in on Israeli attacks on Iran, according to a new report just today from Politico . TWZ
