Hamas is believed to have taken some 240 Israelis hostage during its October 7 assault on southern Israel during which it murdered 1,200 people and wounded more than 5,000.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed “a lot of incorrect reports” regarding a deal during a lengthy joint press conference at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and minister-without-portfolio in the War Cabinet Benny Gantz.
Questioned by the Israeli press on whether he was leaving a deal on the table, Netanyahu said that there was no serious proposal from Hamas.
He said: “We’re doing the utmost to bring back the most possible, including in stages, and we are united on this.”