‘We are prepared to do this now’ says Netanyahu

Israel has not given up on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and is still willing to proceed in exchange for the release of hostages held in the enclave. This was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The information was relayed by TASS.

“Israel was prepared and is still prepared to halt military operations to free our hostages. We did this when we released our 124 hostages and then returned to combat operations. We are ready to do this now,” Netanyahu's statement, released by his office, reads.

According to him, in recent weeks Israeli authorities have been “working around the clock on an agreement to return the hostages.” The negotiation team has been given the broadest powers to advance the issue of the hostages' release.

Netanyahu stated that the Palestinians demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, to which the Jewish state categorically disagrees, considering such a development equivalent to defeat.