Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement Saturday appeared more like a campaign speech than a diplomatic update. He highlighted his government’s “historic achievements” and stressed coordination with U.S. President Donald Trump, but made no mention of coalition partners Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who had expressed some reservations but did not explicitly threaten to leave the government.
Netanyahu said the upcoming round of negotiations in Egypt, set to begin Monday, would be limited to a few days to prevent Hamas from “delaying, stalling or avoiding” the process. He stressed that in the second phase of the plan, Israel would demand Hamas be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized, warning that if this is not achieved diplomatically, Israel would act militarily, leaving open the possibility of renewed fighting after the hostages are returned.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House
(Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
Rejecting criticism that he had abandoned the hostages, Netanyahu insisted he “never gave up on them,” and attributed the shift in Hamas’ position to Israel’s military and diplomatic pressure. He framed the hostages’ return as a near fact, even though negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh have yet to begin and are expected to face major hurdles along the way. Netanyahu presented the agreement as a historic personal achievement rather than a move compelled by Trump.
A senior Israeli official told reporters that “Trump did not surprise Netanyahu” and that the two leaders were “fully coordinated,” noting that discussions took place before Trump’s statement on Hamas’ response, even though it was viewed in Israel as vague and incomplete. Other sources claimed that Netanyahu was caught off guard by the U.S. move, with Israeli officials’ reactions at the White House “speaking volumes.”
According to sources, Trump is determined to end the war and shape the outcome as a personal diplomatic achievement, seeing an opportunity to claim a Nobel Peace Prize and frustrated by lack of credit in previous conflicts. He faces dual challenges: Netanyahu, who speaks of a “total victory” while continuing strikes, and Hamas, which refuses to disarm or cede influence in Gaza.
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Itamar Ben-Gvir, Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich
(Photo: Noam Moshkowitz/Knesset, REUTERS/Nathan Howard, Alex Kolomoisky)
Despite these tensions, Israeli officials say they are prepared to accept the arrangement due to the potential achievement of returning all hostages within 72 hours. One senior Israeli official responding to claims that Israel is being dragged into an unfavorable deal said, “Not if, in the end, the hostages are waiting.”
Netanyahu’s team believes the hostages’ return will provide him with significant political leverage, even if coalition partners Smotrich and Ben-Gvir leave the government. “Netanyahu sees this as a turning point, both politically and diplomatically,” said one official. Trump’s team expects Israel to show flexibility in negotiations, while Jerusalem insists the talks follow Israeli terms only.