Israel’s top diplomat says opportunity to free Gaza captives ‘must not be missed’
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says any opportunity to free captives held in Gaza should not be missed, after US President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire.
“A large majority within the government and the population is in favour of the plan to free the hostages. If the opportunity arises, it must not be missed!” Gideon Saar wrote on X.
Divisions in Israeli cabinet as hardliners oppose ceasefire deal
We’ve already seen a lot of reaction in Israel to this proposed ceasefire agreement announced by Donald Trump. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said there is a lot of support, both within the cabinet and within the public at large for this deal.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid has voiced his support, and offered Netanyahu a safety net so that he can proceed with accepting the ceasefire agreement.
This is important because we’ve already heard from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling on another hardline ally in the coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to come together so they can abort the deal.
That’s naturally drawn outrage from the families of Israeli captives, whose loved ones stand to be released by Hamas under this proposed deal. They have berated Ben-Gvir for his stance with a single-word response: “Shame.”
Talk of ceasefire met with guarded hope, scepticism in Gaza
Here on the ground in Gaza, the reaction to [US President] Donald Trump’s announcement of a proposed ceasefire has been met with a mix of guarded hope and deep scepticism.
After nearly 21 months of widespread destruction, mass displacement and bombardment, Palestinians here are desperate for any pause in the attacks. But this hope has been dampened by their previous bitter experience. Previously, ceasefire talks have repeatedly collapsed, and many Palestinians say they’ve heard this rhetoric before from Trump.
At the moment, though, they believe there’s serious will from Trump to pressure both Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire deal. Until now, Israel has not publicly confirmed the agreement, and the fact that Hamas remains silent only deepens the uncertainty.
The overwhelming sentiment among Palestinians is that they are looking for a full and comprehensive de-escalation in hostilities, and to see a mitigation in their appalling humanitarian conditions. And that cannot take place without a sustained ceasefire.
Hamas says it wants an agreement that ends the war
The Palestinian group says it is reviewing a ceasefire proposal from mediators and that it seeks an agreement that will lead to the end of the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza – demands that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long rejected.
Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group is “ready and serious” about reaching an agreement and will accept “any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war”.
