The US President, Donald Trump, said that Washington was in “very deep negotiations” with Hamas regarding the hostage release, reported Reuters.
Meanwhile, Hamas released a video showing two Israeli hostages in Gaza City, where the Israeli military is ramping up its bombardment amid plans to occupy the entire city.
US-Hamas Negotiations
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said that the US was holding talks with Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
“We are in very deep negotiation with Hamas,” the US President said, suggesting that the Palestinian movement would face consequences if it did not release the hostages.
“We said let them all out, right now let them all out. And much better things will happen for them but if you don’t let them all out, it’s going to be a tough situation, it’s going to be nasty,” Trump noted.
He also added that Hamas was “asking for some things that are fine,” without elaborating.
Hostage Video
On Friday, Hamas released a video showing Israeli hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal being driven in a car around several locations in Gaza City. Gilboa-Dalal previously appeared in a Hamas video in February being forced to watch other hostages freed under a temporary ceasefire.
The video, dated August 28, showed damaged buildings – one of them belonging to the Red Cross – as the car moved across the city. Before the video ended, another hostage, Alon Ohel, appeared in the car.
During the video, Gilboa-Dalal spoke for around four minutes about the planned Israeli takeover of Gaza City. “I heard that you’re going to carry an assault on Gaza City, and this idea is giving me nightmares. What does it mean? It means we’ll die here,” he said.
The Israeli hostage also called on Israelis to protest against the government and demand an end to the war. “We just want this to end. We want to go back to our families. We’re found adjacent to the military. We’re scared, there are explosions here, gunfire. Please return us,” Gilboa-Dalal pleaded.
Israel’s Reaction
In response to the video, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, held talks with the parents of the two hostages, telling them that “no evil propaganda video will weaken us or divert us from our determination to achieve these goals,” according to a statement from his office.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, threatened that the “gates of hell” will open in Gaza. “Now the bolt must be removed from the gates of hell in Gaza. The first evacuation notice is delivered to a multi-story terror building in the city of Gaza before an attack. When the door is opened, it will not be closed,” he warned.
The Israeli military on Friday bombed a high-rise building in Gaza City, claiming it was used by Hamas, without providing evidence. On the other hand, the building’s management denied the claims, saying the building was being used for Palestinians displaced by the war.
Ceasefire Deal Needed
Commenting on Netanyahu’s remarks, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum reiterated that the only way to bring the hostages back is through negotiations and a ceasefire deal.
“Anyone who truly wants to bring back all 48 hostages—whether for rehabilitation or proper burial—must immediately send the negotiating team to the negotiating table.
“Those who genuinely want the hostages home should advance the agreement that is waiting for the Israeli government’s discussion and response, and leverage it toward a comprehensive deal for the return of all the hostages,” they said in a statement on X.
Hamas Ready for Agreement
On Wednesday, Hamas said it was ready to enter into a comprehensive deal that would free all the living hostages in return for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.
It said that the deal would ensure an end to the war, the full withdrawal of Israeli military troops, the opening of border crossings to deliver all the Gaza Strip’s necessities, and the beginning of the reconstruction process, adding that it was open to the formation of an “independent national administration of technocrats” to run Gaza.
However, Netanyahu dismissed the statement, calling it “another spin by Hamas” and vowing to press ahead with the occupation of Gaza City, which the Israeli military has controlled 40% of it.
Hostage Numbers
During his remarks to reporters on Friday, Trump suggested that more hostages could have died in Gaza, reported Axios. “There could be some that have recently died, is what I’m hearing. I hope that’s wrong, but you have over 30 bodies in this negotiation,” he noted.
Out of 47 hostages still held in Gaza, Israel thinks 25 are dead and is trying to return their remains. However, Trump at one point put their number at “about 38 dead people – young, beautiful dead people” before adjusting the number to 20 and then 30.
