Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday on CBS’s “Evening News” that after the ground operation, Israel is closer to getting Hamas to release the hostages taken during the October 7 terror attack.
Anchor Norah O’Donnell asked, “CBS News has learned that there is a deal on the table to free hostages in exchange for a three- to five-day ceasefire. How close are you to bringing some of the hostages home?
Netanyahu said, “Well, we’re closer than we were before we began the ground action because the ground action has put pressure on Hamas to achieve a cease-fire.”
He continued, “We will have a temporary cease-fire if we can’t get our hostages back. I don’t think it serves that purpose for me to elaborate further than that. We are doing every effort. It is part of our three war goals. One, to destroy Hamas. Second, to bring back our hostages to Israel and third, to ensure that that threat, that terrorist threat, never arises again from Gaza and that Gaza has a different future for us and for the Palestinians and for the entire Middle East. So bringing back the hostages is integral part of our war goals, and we’re doing everything we can to achieve it.”
O’Donnell asked, “But to be clear, are you considering a limited ceasefire?”
Netanyahu said, “I said that we would have a temporary ceasefire only if we have our hostages back, and I haven’t changed what I said.”
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