Amid dramatic developments in negotiations for a hostage exchange and an end to the Gaza war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a special statement Saturday evening, his first public remarks on the matter. Earlier, following the conclusion of the Sabbath, Netanyahu summoned ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for a discussion.
Netanyahu opened by saying, “We are on the verge of a very significant achievement,” adding, “It is not yet final, but we are working diligently, and I hope that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, we will be able to announce the return of all our hostages—both living and deceased—in a single phase, while the IDF remains in the depths of the Gaza Strip and in key controlling areas.”
He recalled early skepticism within Israel’s security establishment, saying, “At the start of the war, a senior official said, ‘I doubt we can even bring back a single living hostage.’ Throughout the war, some argued that we could not secure the release of all hostages without a full withdrawal from Gaza. I disagreed and acted differently.” Netanyahu noted that 207 hostages had been returned to date but said he had never given up on securing the remaining hostages or achieving other war objectives.
Netanyahu credited the hostages’ release to military and diplomatic pressure, saying Hamas agreed to the plan “because of the enhanced military and political pressure we applied.” He described coordination with U.S. President Donald Trump and his team as pivotal, saying it turned Israel’s position around and left Hamas isolated.
In the first phase of the plan, he said, “Hamas will release all our hostages, and IDF forces will redeploy to maintain control over all key areas in Gaza.” He rejected claims that Hamas might have been willing to release hostages in the past without an Israeli withdrawal, calling them false, and emphasized that Israel had faced intense pressure both domestically and internationally to halt military operations and yield to Hamas’s demands.
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Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House
(Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
Netanyahu framed the operation as historic, citing military gains including control over Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, the elimination of key Hamas figures and disruption of Iran’s regional influence. He thanked Trump for his support, including strikes on Iran, which he said aided the operation.
Looking ahead to negotiations, Netanyahu said Israeli negotiators, led by Minister Ron Dermer, would travel to Egypt to finalize the technical details of the hostages’ release. He added that both Israel and the U.S. aim to conclude talks within days, and cited Trump’s warning that Hamas must not delay or evade the process.
On the second phase of the agreement, Netanyahu said, “Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized. This will happen either through the Trump plan diplomatically or by military means. It will be achieved, one way or another.”
Late Saturday night, after Trump called on Israel to halt its strikes in Gaza and suggested Hamas’s response to his plan indicated the group was “ready for lasting peace,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying, “In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing to implement immediately the first phase of the Trump plan for the immediate release of all hostages.” Netanyahu added that Israel would “continue working in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war according to principles set by Israel that align with President Trump’s vision.”
Trump's nightly statement
(Video: from X)
Later Saturday, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, urging Hamas to act quickly: “If Hamas does not act fast, all the cards will be on the table. I appreciate that Israel temporarily halted strikes to allow for the hostages’ release and a peace agreement. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let's get this done, fast. Everyone will be treated fairly.”
Hamas responded to Trump’s “20 Points” plan by agreeing to release all hostages under the proposed framework but did not address key disputed issues, including its disarmament. Trump praised the response and said he believed Hamas was “ready for lasting peace,” calling on Israel to stop airstrikes in Gaza. At 3 a.m., a unilateral ceasefire went into effect, and the IDF, under Netanyahu’s orders, shifted from offensive operations to a defensive posture in the enclave.
Late-night sources said Netanyahu was “surprised” by Trump’s statement, prompting emergency consultations. An Israeli official told CNN that Netanyahu was “doubly surprised,” as Trump not only praised Hamas’s partial response but also instructed Israel to halt airstrikes, forcing the IDF to pause its attack on Gaza City. Israel had planned to conduct negotiations while maintaining military pressure, but Trump’s directive limited Jerusalem’s options.
Earlier, a senior Israeli diplomatic source said the moves were ostensibly coordinated with the White House and that Israel was “not surprised.” The source noted that, although Israel is effectively suspending its principle of negotiating only under fire, “we have never had a deal in which we receive all hostages, remain in Gaza and continue negotiations simultaneously.” The official added that the ceasefire and Trump’s announcement were coordinated with Netanyahu and other senior U.S. officials, and that the two leaders spoke prior to the president’s public statement.