And it was Netanyahu Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, he also updated Israeli lawmakers on the situation in the north as escalation with Lebanon’s Hezbollah continues.
“Efforts to return the hostages are continuing,” Netanyahu told the committee.
He continued: “Readiness agitation The release of the hostages is influenced by two opposing forces: the military and diplomatic pressures we exert on them, and the pressures exerted on us.”
The Israeli Prime Minister did not rule out the possibility of implementing the proposal presented by Israel’s envoy for prisoners and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, a few days ago, which includes a “safe exit” for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other leaders of the movement from Gaza, in exchange for ending the war and returning the hostages.
Hamas held about 250 hostages during its surprise attack on Israel On October 7th.
During about a year of war, one hostage exchange agreement was implemented, during which the movement released a number of Israelis, while negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States over months failed to conclude any other agreement.
Netanyahu is under great internal pressure from the families of the hostages to conclude an agreement with Hamas, while the far-right ministers reject any proposal to stop the fighting and threaten to withdraw from the government if this happens, which would practically mean its downfall.
