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In a first, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Tel Aviv is open to ‘ending the war’ in Gaza—if Hamas agrees to key conditions.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday said Israel’s negotiation team in Doha is “exhausting every possibility” for a deal with Hamas, including a short-term truce or a permanent end to the war.
The talks, mediated by Egypt and Qatar with US backing, revolve around US envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal for a limited hostage swap and temporary ceasefire— or a comprehensive deal involving the release of all hostages, Hamas’s disarmament, and the exile of its leaders.
“Even at this very moment, the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal – whether according to the (US special envoy Steve) Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting, which would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip,” the PMO said.
Netanyahu’s comments on a potential deal with Hamas comes as Israel intensifies its war in Gaza under the banner “Gideon’s Chariots”, aiming to seize more territory, displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians towards the south, and tighten its grip on the distribution of humanitarian aid — a plan critics warn could amount to ethnic cleansing.
The renewed offensive, according to Israeli officials, is intended to ramp up pressure on Hamas to accept a temporary ceasefire that would secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages. However, Israel has made clear that such a truce wouldn’t necessarily mark the end of the war.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, insists that any ceasefire agreement must include a full Israeli military withdrawal and a clear path to ending the conflict.
Meanwhile, statements from Israeli leaders about plans to “conquer” the Gaza Strip have raised further concerns about the long-term intentions behind the operation. Since March, Israel has blocked aid into Gaza to pressurise Hamas and is reportedly weighing plans to seize control of the entire enclave.
Hamas insists it will only release hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
A Palestinian official close to the talks, which are taking place in the Qatari capital, Doha, told Reuters: “Hamas is flexible about the number of hostages it can free, but the problem has always been over Israel’s commitment to end the war.”
Britain’s Sky News Arabia and the BBC reported that Hamas has proposed releasing about half of its Israeli hostages in exchange for a two-month ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
However, a Hamas official told Reuters that Israel’s stance remained unchanged: “They want their prisoners released, without a commitment to end the war.”
Meanwhile, Israel intensified airstrikes overnight, killing at least 100 Palestinians, as it prepares for a fresh ground offensive in parts of Gaza.
“We have at least 100 martyrs since overnight. Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by Israeli bombardment,” Khalil Al-Deqran, Gaza health ministry spokesperson, told Reuters over phone.
As per a report by Reuters, the airstrike overnight hit a tent camp sheltering displaced families in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killing women and children, injuring dozens, and setting several tents on fire. Hamas condemned the attack as a “new brutal crime” and held the US administration responsible for the ongoing escalation.
Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas’s military and governing capabilities following the group’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of about 250 others.
Since then, Israel’s offensive has devastated Gaza, displacing nearly the entire population and killing over 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
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