Before the Israeli Cabinet voted on the plan to halt Israel’s offensive in Gaza, Netanyahu acknowledged that it faced a tough decision, but supporting the ceasefire was the right thing to do.
Netanyahu said that during the lull, intelligence efforts will be maintained, allowing the army to prepare for the next stages of battle. He said the battle would continue until “Gaza will not threaten Israel.”
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh earlier indicated the hostage negotiations were moving forward, following similar comments from US President Joe Biden. “The movement delivered its response to the brothers in Qatar and the mediators, and we are close to reaching a truce agreement,” Haniyeh, who’s based in Qatar’s capital Doha, said in a statement on Telegram.
Biden said a deal is “very close” and the chances of it being completed are “very good.”
“We could bring some of these hostages home very soon,” Biden said.
“But I don’t want to get into the details of things because nothing is done until it’s done.”