Israel's Cabinet Discusses Possible New Ideas On Hostage Deal, The Body Of The Late Yahya Sinwar Is Mentioned

Israeli military operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the "new ideas" regarding the agreement to release hostages from Gaza were discussed by top Israeli officials late Sunday.

The spokesman said in a statement discussions were held during a meeting of the high-level security cabinet, which has now been completed, about eight hours after it was scheduled to begin at Malam.

"During the meeting, new ideas were raised to check their feasibility for the proposal for the release of hostages," the statement read.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel ahead of the meeting, held at the headquarters of the Kirya Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem is looking for an opportunity to resolve the war in Gaza with a hostage deal after the killing of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar.

The official described Sinwar's body as a "other bargaining chip" in negotiations.

It is known that the body of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was taken by the Israeli side. Israeli police last Thursday said Sinwar's body was taken for "further investigation" at a forensic facility in Tel Aviv, following his announcement of his death in Gaza.

"The body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar arrived some time ago at the National Forensic Medical Center for further investigation," the police said in a statement, quoted by Al Arabiya.

PM Netanyahu's office declined to confirm this, saying otherwise, "We will not end the war until we achieve all our goals."

"We continue to pressure Hamas militarily," said a previous prime minister's office official.

"You can see the impact in Jabaliya. We continue to kill Hamas members. We encourage psychological collapse."

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel prior to the meeting they would handle Israel's response to Iran, as well as a drone strike at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home, fighting in Lebanon and Gaza, and opportunities for progress in the hostage-taking deal, after Shin Bet Ronen Bar's head trip to Cairo to negotiate.