Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday evening that political and military pressure has forced Hamas to accept the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu © PMO
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday evening that political and military pressure has forced Hamas to accept the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
He stated that Israel and the U.S. will define the framework for negotiations, which are set to begin in Egypt in the coming days.
“I’ve instructed the teams to finalize the details,” Netanyahu said, expressing hope that all hostages could be returned during the Jewish festival of Sukkot, while Israeli forces remain in Gaza.
He emphasized that Hamas’s shift in stance was due to Israeli military and political pressure, noting: “After the negotiations, Hamas will be dismantled — either militarily or politically.”
Negotiations will begin with technical coordination for hostage release, followed by deeper talks on the next phases. Israeli Minister Ron Dermer will lead the Israeli delegation.
Meanwhile, Trump confirmed on social media that Israel had paused airstrikes to allow for progress. “The Hamas must act quickly,” he warned. “No delays. Let’s end this now.”
The first phase of the plan involves the release of all Israeli hostages, while the IDF remains in Gaza. However, Israeli officials are preparing for a “dramatic week,” in case the talks collapse.
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.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
