"We are on the verge of achieving a major result. I hope to be able to announce to you the release of all our hostages, in one fell swoop." The day after Hamas's "open" response to Donald Trump's plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation in a video message recorded in Hebrew and broadcast to the media and television. He explained the acceleration of the last few hours to the Israelis and reaffirmed his red lines on the eve of new talks in Egypt. "The United States and Israel will limit negotiations to a few days. Then Hamas will be dismantled," he assured, emphasizing that it was Hamas that "was forced to accept the Trump plan." Not Israel. On the contrary: "In order to return the remaining 48 hostages, a few weeks ago I ordered the IDF to enter Hamas's most important stronghold, Gaza City. At the same time, I coordinated a diplomatic move with President Trump and his team that turned the situation around in an instant: instead of Israel being isolated, Hamas is isolated," he assured.
"After negotiations, Israel has accepted the initial withdrawal line, which we have presented and shared with Hamas," Donald Trump announced on Truth. " Once Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will take effect immediately , the exchange of hostages and prisoners will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of the withdrawal, which will bring us closer to ending this 3,000-year catastrophe."
Shortly before, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar had also claimed that the American peace plan "was not imposed on Israel, but is largely an Israeli initiative." Netanyahu then insisted that "the IDF will remain in the territories it controls in the Gaza Strip," contrary to the three-phase withdrawal envisaged in the plan, which is one of the key points of contention with Hamas. The prime minister then told Israelis that he "hoped to be able to announce the return of the abductees by the Sukkot holiday," which this year falls between October 6 and 12, coinciding with the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
120,000 responded by taking to the streets of Tel Aviv during these "decisive days." "This is the moment when all of Israel must unite and demand: do everything possible to bring our brothers and sisters home and end the war. We will not rest until the last hostage returns," declared the Family Forum. During the hectic night between Friday and Saturday, despite it being Shabbat, the prime minister held talks with ministers Israel Katz and Ron Dermer and summoned the two far-right government representatives Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir for Saturday evening.
