Israel’s Netanyahu claims progress in prisoner swap negotiations with Hamas
‘It is too soon to give people hope,’ Netanyahu says
JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed “significant progress” on Tuesday in negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
"It is too soon to give people hope," Netanyahu said in a video released by his office. "We are currently working ceaselessly on it.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also claimed progress in the ceasefire talks.
"Some progress has been made recently, and in light of past experiences, I do not want to exaggerate it,” he told a press conference in Jerusalem.
According to The Jerusalem Post newspaper, Netanyahu held a meeting last night to discuss the ceasefire negotiations.
The daily said the Palestinian group Hamas has been drafting a new response to US envoy Steve Witkoff’s ceasefire proposal, and “it could potentially lead to a breakthrough in the negotiations.”
There was no immediate comment from Hamas or the US on the Israeli claim.
Israel estimates that 56 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons under harsh conditions, including reports of torture, starvation, and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups.
Hamas has repeatedly offered to release all Israeli captives in exchange for an end to the war, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, Netanyahu has rejected those terms, insisting on the disarmament of Palestinian resistance factions and pushing for renewed control over Gaza.
The Israeli opposition and families of the hostages have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war to appease his far-right coalition partners and maintain power.
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 55,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
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