Conditions for deal 'coming together', enemy's spirit starting to break, Netanyahu tells families of hostages as he lands in US

Shortly after landing in the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met the families of Israelis held hostages by Hamas and told them that the conditions for a ceasefire-hostage deal “are coming together, without a doubt.”

According to a Times of Israel report, he told them a potential deal to release hostages is coming together because of intense military pressure Israel is applying to Hamas.

“This is a good sign,” Times of Israel quoted him as saying, adding, “and the other sign is that we are also seeing that the enemy’s spirit is starting to break.”

He said that they are seeing a certain change and he thinks that this change will continue to get bigger.

Sitting next to his wife Sara and government hostage pointman Gal Hirsch, Netanyahu told the families that if Israel stands firm “we can reach a deal.”

“I say at the outset that this will be a process, unfortunately it’s not all at once, there will be stages,” he said.

“But I believe that we can move a deal forward and maintain the means of pressure that can bring about the release of the others,” added the Prime Minister

According to Times of Israel, the meeting included 23 family members of hostages — 12 of whom are relatives of American citizens held by Hamas, freed hostage Noa Argamani and her father Yaakov, and two soldiers who fought in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing war against Hamas.

Netanyahu insisted that he is doing everything he can do to bring back the hostages while protecting Israel’s very existence.

“In no circumstance am I willing to give up on victory over Hamas.” he emphasised. “If we let up, we will be in danger from all of Iran’s evil axis,” Netanyahu added.

Ahead of his departure to the US, Netanyahu thanked President Biden for the many things he did for Israel during the war and his years as president, vice president, and senator.

“I look forward to my important meeting with the President,” wrote Netanyahu on X along with a video of his remarks before boarding the plane.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Joe Biden on Thursday, the day after the Israeli premier delivers a major speech to the US Congress, AFP quoted a US official as saying.

The date of the White House meeting had been in the air as Biden recovered in Delaware from Covid, with Israel initially reporting the leaders were to speak on Tuesday.

Netanyahu is also likely to meet with US Vice President Kamala Harris during his visit to Washington, an aide to Harris told AFP on Monday.

The White House meeting will be separate from President Biden’s planned sit-down with Netanyahu, the aide said, and comes after Harris looks set to replace Biden atop the Democratic ticket following his shock end to his reelection bid.

With inputs from agencies