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".
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades on Tuesday and both sides said they held positive discussions although it was not immediately clear if they agreed to a framework for peace.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has signaled his country's desire for full normalization with Lebanon, just ahead of a key round of peace talks scheduled in Washington.
Israeli and Lebanese envoys will meet for U.S.-mediated talks in Washington on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to calm weeks of Israeli fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah that has threatened to derail a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
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