Netanyahu convenes government ahead of possible hostage release

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling extraordinary meetings of the government to occur Tuesday evening local time, signaling a potential breakthrough on the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas for at least 45 days.  

Netanyahu is convening first the war cabinet, then the security cabinet and then the government on Tuesday evening, the prime minister’s office wrote on X. 

The meetings are related to “developments on the issue of the release of our hostages.”

President Biden and his officials have expressed cautious optimism in recent days that talks with Hamas to secure the release of dozens of hostages — likely women, children and the elderly — are coming to a conclusion. 

The reported US-brokered deal could include a cessation of hostilities for a few days, that would allow for hostages to be transferred out of Gaza along with an increase of humanitarian aid into the strip. It also may include the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. 

Hamas violently kidnapped approximately 240 people from Israel on Oct. 7, as part of a large-scale terror attack where at least 1,200 people were massacred. 

Among those held include Israelis and people of dozens of other nationalities, including Americans. Hamas kidnapped a months-old baby, toddlers, children and the elderly. 

Hamas had earlier released four people as part of intensive negotiations through Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. and Israel. 

One Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas was rescued by the Israeli Defense Forces amid their military campaign in the Gaza Strip. 

Israel’s war on Hamas over the past month and a half has killed more than 10,000 Palestinian civilians, largely from Israeli air strikes, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli Defense Forces have also launched a ground offensive into Gaza, and are now fighting in Gaza City. 

Israel’s strikes near refugee camps and operations into Gaza hospitals has stoked anger worldwide, and fueled pro-Palestinian protests calling for a ceasefire.