Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the current Gaza ceasefire negotiations are shifting towards a comprehensive deal to free all remaining hostages at once.
Earlier proposals involved a 60-day truce and the partial release of living hostages, but Netanyahu told Israel’s i24 TV channel that “partial” arrangements are now “behind us,” insisting on the release of all hostages, alive or dead. Around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with Israel believing about 20 are alive.
Hamas leaders are in Cairo for preliminary talks with Egyptian officials, as mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US attempt to revive negotiations. While Hamas is calling for a full Israeli withdrawal and prisoner exchange, Israel is demanding Hamas disarm and surrender control of Gaza.
The talks come as Israel steps up airstrikes on Gaza City. Hospitals reported multiple civilian deaths in Tel al-Hawa and Zaytoun, including children. The Israeli military says preparations are underway for a new offensive, though local media suggest this will not begin before October.
UN agencies warn Gaza is on the brink of famine, with severe shortages of food and aid amid the conflict. The war, triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel, has since left more than 61,700 Palestinians dead, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
