Israeli PM hopes for hostages' release soon, says negotiators heading to Egypt for talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope on Saturday that all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the coming days, potentially during the Sukkot festival. He outlined a two-phase plan, with the first phase involving the release of hostages after diplomatic and military pressure on Hamas, coordinated with US President Trump’s team.

The second phase involves disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza. Netanyahu confirmed that his chief negotiator, Minister Ron Dermer, is heading to Egypt to finalize the details of the hostages’ release. The prime minister emphasized that Israel would pursue either diplomatic or military means to ensure Gaza’s demilitarization.