Under the emerging plan, Israel will receive all 48 hostages, including one female captive, within 72 hours of an agreement’s approval. The IDF will remain inside Gaza, and any pullback will be limited to what is known as the “yellow line,” surrounding Gaza City.
“We’ve never had a deal like this—where we get all the hostages, stay in Gaza, and keep negotiating,” the official said.
Hostage release plan and negotiation phases
The official said the process will unfold in phases, beginning with the immediate release of all hostages. “The IDF will stay in Gaza, and the initial pullback will be only to the yellow line around Gaza City, after the hostages are released,” he said.
Talks are expected to begin in Cairo as soon as Sunday or Monday, led by Minister Ron Dermer, joined by professional staff and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. “The Americans want to close the deal quickly,” the official said, adding that Jared Kushner may also join.
“We’re talking about just a few days of negotiations—nobody’s going there to sunbathe,” he added. “Witkoff wants to move fast.”
At this stage, the official clarified, there is a “reduction in fire,” not a full cease-fire, intended to give Hamas space to locate and return hostages. “No one is moving; our troops remain inside Gaza. Civilians will not be allowed to return to Gaza City,” he said.
The official dismissed reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was caught off guard by Trump’s dramatic Friday night statement calling for an end to Israeli strikes. “There was no surprise whatsoever,” he said. “Everything was coordinated between the prime minister and President Trump and other senior administration officials. They spoke before the announcement.”
He added that the absence of far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir from the talks was not intentional: “It was simply because of the Sabbath. The prime minister will brief them afterward.”
‘Unprecedented deal’ and Hamas’ possible hurdles
The official praised Netanyahu for making “unpopular decisions” and facing political backlash to reach this stage. “He insisted on entering Gaza, and the strike in Qatar helped. We’ve never had a deal where we stay in Gaza, get all the hostages back, and continue negotiations,” he said.
He also credited “immense pressure” from mediators and from Trump himself, which pushed Hamas to agree to the first stage of the plan.
However, he cautioned that Israel is preparing for possible obstacles from Hamas, saying, “They may try to create difficulties or derail the talks. We’re ready for all scenarios. From Israel’s side, we’ve agreed to the framework—it’s possible to bring the hostages home within days.”
“Hamas has agreed to the first phase—releasing all hostages—and that’s a major achievement for Israel,” the official said. “We remain inside Gaza, and the initiative is in our hands.”
The upcoming Cairo talks will determine the logistics of releasing live hostages and the time frame Hamas will receive to collect the bodies of the dead, he added.