On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he and US President Donald Trump are closely aligned in their efforts to secure a hostage deal.
In an effort to demonstrate unity with the United States amid ongoing ceasefire talks, Netanyahu emphasized that neither he nor Trump would accept a deal “at any price,” even as the American president hinted that an agreement was nearing completion.
“President Trump and I share the same objective. I am determined to secure the release of our hostages. We aim to end Hamas’s control over Gaza and ensure that Gaza no longer threatens Israel,” Netanyahu said to reporters at the US Capitol in Washington before his meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Netanyahu emphasized that he and Trump share the same approach to securing a deal, one that does not involve the US exerting pressure on Israel.
“President Trump wants a deal, but not at any cost. I want a deal, but not at any cost. Israel has security and other essential conditions, and we are working together to achieve them,” Netanyahu stated, rejecting claims suggesting otherwise.
However, an Arab official told The Times of Israel that on Tuesday, the US urged Israel to soften its position concerning the partial withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza during the proposed temporary ceasefire.
Trump, meanwhile, once again asserted that there was a “very good chance that we’ll have a [Gaza hostage] deal of some kind this week and maybe next week.”
“I think we have a chance this week or next week — not definitely. There’s nothing definite about war and Gaza,” he said on Wednesday.
Hamas shows ‘flexibility’ amid hostage negotiations
Amid ongoing negotiations, Hamas issued a statement asserting that it has shown “flexibility” by agreeing to release 10 hostages as part of a potential agreement.
The group, however, emphasized that several key issues remain unresolved, including the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF forces from the area, and concrete assurances for a lasting ceasefire.
Hamas maintained in its statement that despite the difficulties, it is engaging “seriously and in a positive spirit with the mediators to overcome the obstacles.”
While the statement was a rare public acknowledgment from Hamas during the talks, it did not signal any clear progress toward a deal.
Sources speaking to The Times of Israel indicated that the United States remains more optimistic than Egyptian and Qatari mediators about the likelihood of reaching an agreement this week, despite persistent gaps in the negotiations.
A central point of contention has been whether Israel would retain the right to resume its military operations after a proposed 60-day ceasefire ends.
According to an Arab diplomat and another source familiar with the talks, the U.S. has reportedly conveyed to mediators that it does not intend to permit Israel to restart fighting — even if that restriction is not explicitly outlined in the draft agreement currently being negotiated in Washington and Qatar.
