Netanyahu Hopes Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal Finalized in Days

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced optimism about finalizing a hostage-release agreement with Hamas within days, suggesting the deal could secure a 60-day ceasefire to negotiate a broader end to the conflict in Gaza

During an interview with Newsmax before leaving Washington, Netanyahu revealed progress in talks with Hamas aimed at freeing Israeli hostages captured during the October 2023 attacks.

“I hope we can complete it in a few days,” he said, describing a phased approach in which the initial release of hostages would be followed by a 60-day ceasefire. This pause would serve as a window for negotiating a more comprehensive resolution to the fighting in Gaza.

Netanyahu acknowledged the urgency of recovering Israeli hostages captured during the October 7 attacks. Despite misstating the number as 255 (the official count is 251), he reaffirmed Israel’s determination to bring them home.

“We think we can bring it to completion,” he said. “We’re going to defeat these monsters and get our hostages back.

Netanyahu accused Hamas of using Gaza civilians as human shields and obstructing their evacuation from combat zones. “Hamas says, ‘You try to leave the war zone, we’ll shoot you,’” he claimed. He argued Hamas deliberately engineers civilian casualties for propaganda purposes on social media, rejecting allegations that Israel targets civilians

Netanyahu suggested there were early signs of Palestinian resistance against Hamas in Gaza. “We see something that never happened before. Palestinians in Gaza are fighting Hamas.

Netanyahu described his relationship with former US President Donald Trump as “extraordinary,” praising their “peace through strength” strategy. During his four-day Washington visit, which included two meetings with Trump, he emphasized the value of close alignment.

He linked Hamas’s hostage-taking tactics to Iran’s influence, describing it as part of the “Iranian doctrine” and calling Tehran the center of an “evil axis” that destabilizes the region.

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