Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday night he would not agree to a partial deal with Hamas, insisting that any agreement must include the release of all hostages held in Gaza at once and meet Israel’s conditions for ending the war.
“We will agree to an agreement only if all the hostages are released in one phase and according to our terms,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, listing those terms as the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, continued Israeli security control over the territory’s perimeter and the installation of an alternative governing authority that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
IDF airstrikes in Gaza
His remarks came after Hamas signaled through Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it was prepared to discuss a partial deal, while still demanding that any release of hostages be tied to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the end of the war.
Until Netanyahu’s declaration, Israeli officials had maintained ambiguity about the possibility of a limited agreement, leaving the impression that despite tough rhetoric, the government might ultimately accept one.
Meanwhile, Israel announced it will begin transferring tents and shelter equipment into southern Gaza starting Sunday, as part of preparations for a large-scale operation to capture Gaza City. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Defense Ministry unit responsible for civilian affairs, said the aid will be delivered through the Kerem Shalom crossing by the United Nations and international groups after Israeli security inspections.
“This assistance is being provided to facilitate the movement of Gaza’s civilian population away from combat zones to the south for their protection,” the office said, adding that the IDF will continue to act in line with international law.
Hamas accused Israel of already beginning the Gaza City offensive, saying airstrikes and artillery fire in recent days have devastated neighborhoods such as Zeitoun in the city’s south and east. The group described the strikes as part of a “systematic war of extermination” and urged the international community to intervene.
Talks in Cairo and Doha have shown no breakthrough, but negotiations are continuing as Israel signals preparations for a ground takeover of Gaza City.
At the same time, thousands rallied across Israel Saturday demanding the hostages’ release, including at the weekly protest in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square. On Sunday, families of hostages are set to lead a nationwide “people’s strike,” with growing support from private companies, universities and local councils.