Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that he had agreed to send a delegation to talks to secure the release of hostages taken in the October 7 attacks.
In a statement after a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu’s office said: “The prime minister informed President Biden of his decision to send a delegation that will continue negotiations to release the hostages.”
There was no indication of where the delegation would go or when it would leave.
In its report on the phone call, the White House said Biden welcomed the decision to allow Israeli negotiators to “engage” with mediators “to get the deal done.”
According to media reports, Netanyahu has called a meeting of his security cabinet on Thursday to discuss new proposals sent by Hamas through Qatari mediators.
Hamas demands a cessation of fighting and an Israeli withdrawal for any hostage deal.
Israel has responded that the war cannot end without the release of hostages in the Palestinian territory. Netanyahu has also repeatedly vowed that the Gaza campaign will not end until Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities are destroyed.
Hamas said late Wednesday that it had sent new “ideas” for a possible compromise and Netanyahu’s office said the government was “evaluating” them.
Qatar, Egypt and the United States are mediating between the two sides and sources close to their efforts said there had been renewed efforts in recent weeks to bridge the “gap” between the foes.
Biden announced a ceasefire deal in May that he said was proposed by Israel and included a six-week ceasefire for negotiations and eventually a program to rebuild devastated Gaza.
“The latest proposals are a significant development, with positive options for both sides,” said one diplomat briefed on the latest proposals. “This time the Americans are very serious about it.”
The war began with an attack on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli data.
Hamas has also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, 42 of whom the military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed at least 38,011 people, mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory.
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