TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that new negotiations are underway to free more hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza. He made the statement during a visit to the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, April 7, 2025.
“We’re working now on another deal that we hope will succeed, and we’re committed to getting all the hostages out,” Netanyahu told reporters in the Oval Office, as quoted from Arab News.
Concerning this, Trump stated that the U.S. has been working hard to free the hostages. "We’re looking at another ceasefire, we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Furthermore, Netanyahu added that the hostages held by Hamas are suffering greatly. He emphasized Israel's desire to free them all.
Netanyahu also highlighted the previous hostage release agreement, partially negotiated by Trump's regional envoy, Steve Witkoff, which resulted in the release of 25 people.
Netanyahu's visit followed the collapse of a six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Previously, Hamas launched unprecedented attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering a war.
The fragile ceasefire ended with Israel resuming air strikes in Gaza on March 18.
As reported by Al Jazeera, Netanyahu and Trump also discussed the reconstruction of a "crucial and extraordinary part", the Gaza Strip, into what he called a "freedom zone."
During the occasion, Netanyahu refuted claims that Israel is the party confining Palestinians in Gaza.
The recent ceasefire enabled the return of 33 Israeli hostages, eight of whom were killed, in exchange for the release of around 1,800 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.
Contrary to the suggestions of most hostage families, Netanyahu and his government maintain that escalating military pressure is the only way to force Hamas to return the remaining hostages, dead or alive.
Of the 251 hostages abducted during the Hamas attack on October 7, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military claims have been killed.
Over 50,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israel's brutal attacks since October 2023, most of whom were women and children.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war crimes in that region.
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