Netanyahu says he hopes to announce hostage release ‘in the coming days’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days” as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US plan to end the war.

Netanyahu in a brief statement late Saturday said he had sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details,” adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days.”

He spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the US plan. President Donald Trump welcomed the Hamas statement but on Saturday warned that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.”

Two envoys of US President Donald Trump headed to Egypt on Saturday to discuss the release of hostages in Gaza, after Hamas agreed to his ceasefire proposal, while Israeli forces launched deadly strikes across the territory.

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff were expected to finalise details on the release of hostages and discuss a deal pushed by Trump to end the nearly two-year war between Israel and Hamas, a White House official said.

(AP)