Israeli PM Expects Gaza Hostage Release Agreement To Be Achieved In A Few Days
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he hoped to reach an agreement within days for the release of more Israeli hostages who are still being held hostage by Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.
PM Netanyahu said about 50 hostages were still being held by Hamas. Of these, he said, only 20 are believed to be still alive.
"I want to free them all. We now have an agreement that is said to free half of the hostages who are still alive and half of the hostages who have died," PM Netanyahu said in an interview at the Newsmax show "The Record with Greta Van Sister" which aired on Thursday. July 11th.
"So, we will have 10 hostages who are still alive and about 12 hostages who have died, but I will also release them. I hope we can finish it in a few days," he added.
PM Netanyahu said Israel and Hamas were likely to hold a ceasefire for 60 days, which both sides could use to try to end the conflict.
"We will probably hold a ceasefire for 60 days. Remove the first wave and then use those 60 days to try to negotiate the end of this," he said, quoted by The Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, Hamas said on Wednesday, there were several important points in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, including the flow of aid, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, and "real guarantees for a permanent ceasefire."
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It is known that Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and holding 251 people hostage, according to Israeli data. Gaza's Ministry of Health said Israel's retaliation had killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, and destroyed much of Gaza's territory.
Both sides have carried out two ceasefires, first in November 2023 and second in January 2025, since fighting began.