When asked about the possibility of reaching an agreement regarding women, children and the elderly held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu replied: “It is possible, but the less I say about this issue, the greater the chances of it being achieved.”
Netanyahu considered that things were progressing thanks to Israeli military pressure, saying, “We were not close at all (to reaching an agreement), until we started ground operations. The moment we started ground operations, things began to change.”
He added, “Pressure on Hamas leaders is what could lead to an agreement, and if an agreement is available, we will talk about it when it exists, and we will announce it if it is reached,” Agence France-Presse reported.
The Israeli military estimates that about 240 people were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip during the first day of the Hamas attack.
Among the detainees are at least thirty minors, including children, according to Israeli media.
In an interview with the American CNN channel, the Israeli Prime Minister was asked about the issue of hospitals in Gaza, which are in the line of fire as the fighting rages, especially Al-Shifa Hospital, where thousands of patients and displaced people are located. Regarding that, he said: “There is no reason not to remove patients from there.” “.
“We ask them to leave,” he continued, adding, “We are helping them by establishing safe corridors. We have identified roads leading to a safe area south of Gaza City.”
The Israeli Prime Minister confirmed that about 100 patients had been evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital.
For his part, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced on CBS the United States’ opposition to battles in hospitals, and said, “The United States does not want to see armed battles in hospitals where innocent people, patients receiving medical care, fall victim to exchanges.” “We have had extensive discussions on this matter with the Israel Defense Forces.”
Sullivan refused to comment on Israel’s assertion that the Shifa Hospital in Gaza includes a Hamas leadership center.
He stated on CNN, saying: “I cannot delve into topics within the jurisdiction of intelligence, but you can notice, even based on public information, that Hamas is using hospitals, in addition to other civilian facilities, for command, to house weapons, to house its fighters, “Both historically or in this conflict.”
Reuters quoted a Palestinian official familiar with the prisoner exchange negotiations in Gaza on Sunday, saying that Hamas suspended the negotiations because of what Israel is doing towards the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City.
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