Before departing for the U.S. capital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made notable remarks regarding the situation in Gaza, Iran’s nuclear file, and efforts to expand normalization across the Middle East.
He stated that 20 Israeli hostages are still alive and reaffirmed that his government is “determined to bring them all back—based solely on Israeli conditions.”
Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s goal is to ensure Gaza no longer poses a threat, stating this will be achieved by “eliminating Hamas’s governmental and military capabilities.” He added, “I am committed to both missions: bringing the hostages home and ending the threat.”
Regarding Iran, Netanyahu said that Israel “remains committed to staying vigilant and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” stressing that this remains a top priority on his agenda.
Netanyahu’s trip to the U.S. was delayed for several hours due to pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties demanding clarity on the proposed military conscription law.
Meanwhile, an Israeli negotiating delegation departed Sunday for Doha, Qatar, to begin a new round of indirect talks with Hamas aimed at reaching a hostage-release and ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
According to Israeli media, the delegation includes the Shin Bet deputy chief known as “M”, Israel’s hostage and missing persons coordinator Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political adviser Ofir Falk, and a senior Mossad official.
Reports indicate that representatives from the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet will also participate in the technical-level discussions. Egypt has sent a security delegation to Doha that arrived on Saturday, while Hamas’s negotiating team is already in the Qatari capital.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said the meetings are set to begin Sunday in Doha amid a serious atmosphere and mounting international pressure to reach a comprehensive agreement before Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening in Washington.