Netanyahu pushing for release of 11 living hostages

Israeli prime minister instructs negotiating team in Qatar to back US mediator’s proposal to extend the Gaza ceasefire and to release more convicted terrorists in exchange for the immediate return of 11 living captives.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israel’s hostage-negotiating team Saturday night to push for Hamas to free 11 living hostages in exchange for a continuation of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip under the terms laid out by the Trump administration.

In an announcement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office overnight, Netanyahu’s aides said the premier had held an in-depth discussion with his advisers “on the issue of the hostages, with the participation of the negotiating team and the heads of the security establishment.”

Following the discussion, the prime minister instructed the negotiating team to prepare for the continuation of the talks “as per the mediators’ response to the Witkoff proposal for the immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages.”

Last week, Steve Witkoff, the billionaire real estate mogul tapped by President Donald Trump as his special envoy to the Middle East, reportedly proposed a new hostage deal to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The framework proposed by Witkoff includes a 50-day ceasefire extension and the release  of additional convicted terrorists in exchange for the return of a number of hostages held by Hamas.

The statement issued by Netanyahu’s office confirms the proposal, setting the number of hostages to be released at the outset of the ceasefire at 11 and signalling Israel’s backing for the deal.

The previous ceasefire lapsed on March 2nd, with Hamas and Israel failing to agree to a framework for extending the truce and continuing the release of hostages from Gaza.

Israel and the Trump administration have called for an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire, while Hamas has demanded that any additional hostage releases be conducted under the rubric of the second phase of the January 19th deal.