Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel had pressured Hamas to the extent that a hostage deal with the Iranian-backed group might be possible.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz © X
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel had pressured Hamas to the extent that a hostage deal with the Iranian-backed group might be possible.
Speaking to soldiers at an air force base in central Israel, Katz said that due to increasing military pressure, "there is a chance that this time we will really be able to advance a hostage deal".
Donald Trump's incoming Middle East envoy has traveled to Qatar and Israel to kick-start the U.S. president-elect's diplomatic push to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal before he takes office on Jan 20, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters.
The deaths of six Israeli hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza in August were probably linked to an Israeli strike near where they were being held, the Israeli military said on Wednesday.
Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralize" the captives if such an operation took place, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
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