Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has instructed negotiations to begin for the release of all remaining hostages and an end to the war in Gaza on terms “acceptable to Israel”.
Netanyahu told Israeli troops on Thursday night that his cabinet had also approved plans for a massive assault on Gaza City in the north of the territory, despite widespread international and domestic opposition.
Hamas agreed to a proposal drawn up by Qatari and Egyptian mediators for a 60-day ceasefire on Monday, which according to Qatar would see the release of half of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
But responding for the first time, Netanyahu has not accepted the deal currently on the table.
In a video statement during a visit with the Gaza division’s headquarters in Israel on Thursday night, Netanyahu said he had “instructed to immediately begin negotiations for the release of all our hostages”.
“I have come to approve the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) plans to take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas,” he said.
“These two matters – defeating Hamas and releasing all our hostages – go hand in hand,” Netanyahu added, without providing details about what the next stage of talks would entail.
Israeli officials have this week been voicing opposition to a ceasefire deal that would only involve the partial release of hostages.
Israel believes that only 20 of the 50 hostages are still alive after 22 months of war.
On Thursday, Israel’s military said it had warned medical officials and international organisations to prepare for the planned evacuation of Gaza City’s one million residents ahead of an offensive to occupy it.
