Israeli foreign minister says Hamas hostage deal would defer IDF Rafah operation

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Haaretz | Israel NewsApr 27, 2024Updated: 04:58 a.m. IST

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Keith Siegel, left and Omri Miran.

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Palestinian children inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 27, 2024.Credit: Hatem Khaled/ REUTERS

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Police officers form a barrier between counter-protesters supporting Israel and pro-Palestinian supporters hold a demonstration in central London, on April 27, 2024, calling for a ceasefire and protesting against the export of arms from Britain to Israel. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP)Credit: AFP

Thousands protest Netanyahu government across Israel, demanding hostage deal ■ Hamas airs video of two Israeli hostages, one with U.S. citizenship, in Gaza captivity ■ IDF says fighter jets struck Hezbollah compound in Lebanon; Missiles, drone target northern Israel ■ IDF says two Palestinians killed after firing at an army outpost in West Bank

Thousands protest Netanyahu government across Israel, demanding hostage deal ■ Hamas airs video of two Israeli hostages, one with U.S. citizenship, in Gaza captivity ■ IDF says fighter jets struck Hezbollah compound in Lebanon; Missiles, drone target northern Israel ■ IDF says two Palestinians killed after firing at an army outpost in West Bank

Source in Gaza talks: Hamas presenting feasible Israeli hostage numbers, indicating positive shift

A woman holds a sign as protesters rally calling for the immediate release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Thursday.Credit: Shannon Stapleton/ REUTERS

A source involved in the mediation between Israel and Hamas said Saturday night that the fact that Hamas has said it is willing to release a relatively low number of hostages is a positive sign.

"It appears that Hamas has stopped lying about the figures and that it has decided to present the number of live hostages it is able to release in a deal," the source said.

He added that over the past few months, Hamas had inflated the numbers as a bargaining tactic. "We can only hope that the new version it has presented is testimony to greater willingness to move ahead with a deal," he said.

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Blinken to travel to Saudi Arabia for Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage release negotiations

The U.S. State Department reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to Saydi Arabia on Monday and "discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages "

According to State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken "will discuss the recent increase in humanitarian assistance being delivered to Gaza and underscore the importance of ensuring that increase is sustained."

"The Secretary will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel," Miller added

Daughter of Israeli hostage shown in Hamas video: Country's leaders should think of their own father

Family members of American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel spoke in a recorded message played on Saturday during a rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv.

"Keith, I love you, we will fight until you return," said his wife Aviva. His daughter, Ilan said: "Seeing my father today only emphasizes how badly we need to reach a deal as fast as possibly and bring them all back home. I demand this country's leaders watch the video and see their father crying for help.

"If you saw the video, you saw that my father knows all of us come weekly to the rally and are fighting for him and for all the hostages. Thank you for being with us, we won't stop fighting together," said Siegel's second daughter, Shir.

'Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, just once, show leadership': Father calls on gov't to secure son's release

Dani Miran, whose son Omri is in Hamas captivity and was shown in a video Hamas aired on Saturday night, said at the hostage rally in Tel Aviv: "Omri, you don't see [your daughter] taking her first steps," he says. "I turn to every decision maker, including Ben-Gvir and Smotrich…just once, show leadership! Just once!"

Miran then turned to Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, and said that Israel has approved international observers' visits to Hamas members in jail. "If you have some sort of human emotion, set them free," he said.

Israel's foreign minister says Israel may forego Rafah operation in case of hostage deal

Israel's foreign minister said on Saturday that a planned incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah could be suspended should there be a deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

"The release of the hostages is the top priority for us," said Foreign Minister Israel Katz during an interview with local Channel 12 television.

Asked if that included putting off a planned operation to eliminate Hamas battalions in the city of Rafah, Katz answered, "Yes."

He went on to say: "If there will be a deal, we will suspend the operation."