Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a delegation to negotiate with Hamas regarding hostages, scheduled for Thursday, the Prime Minister’s office announced on Sunday. The specifics of the delegation’s destination were not disclosed.
In a statement, the office revealed that Netanyahu had a meeting with the delegation and top Israeli military leaders earlier today. The discussions included the potential repercussions of the deal on the situation in the north and with the Houthis, as reported by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
The newspaper further clarified that the negotiation team received the green light to proceed with the discussions. This meeting occurs just hours before Netanyahu’s departure to Washington.
Netanyahu is set to travel to the United States tonight for an official visit, where he is expected to address the U.S. Congress on Wednesday and meet with President Joe Biden at the White House.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu places significant importance on the Washington visit to reinforce the alliance with the United States, especially as Israel is engaged in a multi-front war.
Efforts to cease fire, led by Qatar and Egypt and supported by the United States, have so far failed to reach an agreement. Both parties in the ongoing nine-month conflict in Gaza continue to blame each other for the deadlock.
