Netanyahu to approve military takeover of Gaza, orders immediate talks to ‘release all hostages’

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (local time) said that he is going to approve the military’s plan to take over Gaza City, while instructing them to begin negotiations for the release of all hostages, Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu delivered the statement in a pre-recorded message filmed outside the Israel Defence Force’s Gaza Division headquarters, where he was meeting with defence officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, to approve the proposal.

“I came today to the Gaza Division in order to approve the plans that the IDF presented to me and to the defense minister for taking control of Gaza City and for defeating Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “At the same time, I instructed to begin immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages and for ending the war under conditions acceptable to Israel,” he added.

The announcement by Netanyahu came several days after Hamas said it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal that would see half of the hostages released and kick off talks to end the war and free the rest.

Though the framework was previously approved by Jerusalem, Netanyahu has since said that Israel will only agree to stop fighting as part of a comprehensive deal for all 50 remaining captives. It was unclear whether his Thursday comment marked any significant change in the state of talks.

Netanyahu’s statement came several days after Hamas said it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal that would see half of the hostages released, Times of Israel reported.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office told Times of Israel that there were no immediate plans to dispatch an Israeli delegation, while a senior official later clarified that envoys would be sent once a venue for the talks was decided. It was also not clear if Netanyahu’s comments were coordinated with Arab mediators engaged in ongoing ceasefire discussions.

The deal pushed by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, would commit the terror group to release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 of the slain hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and release of hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners.

It was proposed that during the ceasefire, talks would begin for a permanent end to the war and the release of the remaining 22 hostages, Times of Israel reported.

Israel had earlier approved a similar framework but has yet to respond to the offer. Netanyahu has not rejected the framework leaving open the possibility of both a negotiated settlement and a military escalation. (ANI)