Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the families of hostages being held in Gaza that an agreement for their release may be close, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced, as the war in the Palestinian enclave continues.
Israeli forces are continuing their operations in the south of Han Yunis after ordering civilians to evacuate several districts of the city they said are being used to carry out attacks by Hamas, the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. .
United Nations officials said thousands of people are fleeing to safer areas as Israel continues its airstrikes.
Netanyahu is currently in Washington and is expected to meet with President Joe Biden this week, after addressing the US Congress.
In Washington, he met with the families of the hostages taken by Hamas. He told them that “the conditions [for a deal] are ripening. This is a good sign.”
For months, mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been working to broker a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Efforts have intensified in recent weeks.
“Unfortunately, not everything will happen at once. There will be phases. However, I believe we can move the agreement forward,” Netanyahu said.
The war between Israel and Hamas began after the radical Palestinian group attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others.
Some hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in November last year. Currently, there are believed to be another 120 hostages, a third of whom Israel believes are not alive.
As the war continues, health authorities in Gaza have said that more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the Israeli offensive./REL/
