Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers Monday that Israel's war in Gaza had offered opportunities to sign new peace accords with Arab nations and "dramatically change the face of" the Middle East.
"Moderate Arab countries view Israel as a regional power and a potential ally. I intend to seize this opportunity to the fullest. Together with our American friends, I plan to expand the Abraham Accords... and thus change even more dramatically the face of the Middle East," he said in parliament, referring to agreements which normalized ties between Israel and some Arab states during Donald Trump's first term as US president.
Netanyahu told lawmakers on Monday that "some progress" had been made in negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
His comments in parliament come two days after three Palestinian militant groups said in a rare joint statement that a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza war and to exchange prisoners was "closer than ever."
In recent days, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States were held in Doha, rekindling hope of an agreement, more than 14 months into the Gaza war.
"Everything we are doing cannot be disclosed. We are taking actions to bring them back. I wish to say cautiously that there has been some progress, and we will not stop acting until we bring them all home," Netanyahu said in parliament.
"I want to say to the families of the hostages: We are thinking of you and we will not give up on your loved ones, who are our loved ones as well."
On Saturday, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a joint statement that progress had been made to reach a ceasefire deal.
"The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions," the three groups said after they held talks in Cairo a day earlier.
During the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, 251 people were abducted, of whom 96 remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the military.
'Full force'
In his address to lawmakers, Netanyahu also warned the Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen, who last week fired two missiles at Israel, including one that injured 16 people in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv on Saturday.
"I have instructed our forces to destroy the infrastructure of Houthis because anyone who tries to harm us will be struck with full force. We will continue to crush the forces of evil with strength and ingenuity, even if it takes time," Netanyahu said.
Israeli warplanes retaliated against ports and energy infrastructure, which the military said contributed to Houthi rebel operations, after a rebel missile badly damaged an Israeli school last week. The Houthis said the Israeli strikes killed nine people.
With AFP
Comments