By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that there has been “certain progress” in negotiations with Hamas over the exchange of prisoners, but acknowledged he was uncertain about how long the talks would take.
Speaking to the Knesset, Netanyahu stressed that securing the release of those still held in Gaza remains a top priority. “I cannot share all the details of our actions, but we are taking significant steps at all levels to bring our loved ones home,” he said.
Netanyahu attributed the progress in negotiations to three main factors: the death of Hamas' former political bureau leader Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' failure to receive expected support from Iran and Hezbollah, and the ongoing military pressure on Hamas in Gaza. “I cautiously say that there is certain progress, but I do not know how long it will take,” he added.
Israeli sources have indicated that Tel Aviv is pursuing a two-phase deal: a “humanitarian” phase involving the release of women, the elderly, and the wounded, followed by a second phase aimed at ending the war and withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza.
Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would strongly oppose any potential prisoner swap with Hamas, calling it “bad,” according to Maariv daily.
On Saturday evening, thousands of Israelis protested across the country, demanding a comprehensive prisoner exchange deal. Demonstrations took place in Tel Aviv near the Defense Ministry, as well as in Jerusalem, Beersheba, Kiryat Gat, and Ofakim, according to Haaretz.
Israel has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 45,300 people, most of them women and children, since an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
- Houthi attacks
Netanyahu also addressed regional threats, stating that Israel is closely monitoring Iran's nuclear ambitions. “We are determined to prevent them from obtaining nuclear weapons,” he said.
In recent days, Israel has carried out targeted strikes on strategic Houthi positions in Yemen. Netanyahu confirmed the Israeli military had been instructed to carry out these operations. “This is not the last operation. Anyone who tries to harm us will face our relentless force,” he added.
On Thursday, Israel’s military reported that 14 fighter jets had attacked five targets in Yemen, marking the third such strike since Israel’s offensive on Gaza began over 14 months ago.
In response, Houthi media reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted ports and energy infrastructure in the capital Sanaa and in the Red Sea coastal province of Al Hudaydah, killing nine people and injuring three.
The Houthis, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing an Israeli genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea, with missiles and drones, expressing a determination to continue operations until the end of the onslaught on the enclave.
Since the beginning of 2024, a coalition led by the US has been carrying out airstrikes that it said are targeting Houthi locations in parts of Yemen in response to attacks by the group in the Red Sea. The counterattacks have been occasionally met with retaliation from the group.
With the intervention of Washington and London, and an escalation of tensions, the Houthis announced that they consider all American and British ships military targets.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio