Israeli hostages to be released in days – Netanyahu

The Israeli PM’s comments came after Hamas had agreed to free its captives and negotiate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to announce the release of hostages being held in Gaza “in the coming days.”

Hamas has agreed to free the hostages under a US peace plan, according to a statement released by the Palestinian militant group on Friday. It did not mention disarmament, and they demanded negotiations on other subjects, including “other issues mentioned” in the US proposal.

In a televised statement on Saturday, Netanyahu vowed that “Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized.” He added that “either the easy way or the hard way, but it will be achieved.”

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Later on Saturday, Hamas said that Israel was continuing to commit “massacres” after strikes hit Gaza in the morning.

US President Donald Trump, however, said that the Jewish state has “temporarily stopped the bombing,” calling it a critical step toward finalizing a peace agreement with Hamas and securing the release of hostages. He warned the Palestinian armed group to act swiftly.

Indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas are set to start in Egypt on Monday.

Trump has called on West Jerusalem to stop launching strikes against the enclave, proposing that Hamas must release all remaining hostages within 72 hours of Israel suspending military operations in Gaza and withdrawing its troops “to the agreed-upon line.”

West Jerusalem has agreed to the prisoner swap but has not officially addressed Trump’s call for Israel to halt its strikes on Gaza.