Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “there could be” potential for a deal to free over 240 hostages held by Hamas, adding that the ground invasion of Gaza has increased the likelihood.
In an interview with NBC News’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Netanyahu spoke on a variety of topics relating to the war between Israel and Hamas. When asked by host Kristen Welker whether or not Israel was close to reaching a deal to release more hostages, Netanyahu replied that there was no possibility at all before the Israel Defense Forces launched its invasion of Gaza.
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“I can say that we weren’t close at all until we started the ground operation,” the Israeli prime minister said. “In fact, we heard that there is an impending deal of this kind or that kind, and then we learned that it was all hokum. It was nothing. But the minute we started the ground operation, things began to change.”
WATCH: Israel PM @netanyahu discusses a potential deal for the Israeli hostages’ return.@kwelkernbc: “Is there a potential deal?”
“There could be, but I think the less I say about it, the more I’ll increase the chances that it materializes.” pic.twitter.com/RXc3I7sOY3
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) November 12, 2023
When pressed on how close a possible deal was, Netanyahu said that there’s potential, but “the less I say about it, the more I’ve increased the chances that it materializes.”
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“And it’s a result of pressure, military pressure — the extraordinary work that the IDF is doing, putting pressure on the Hamas leadership,” he added. “That’s the one thing that might create a deal, and if a deal is available, well, we’ll talk about it when it’s there. We’ll announce it if it’s achieved.”
Netanyahu also said that Israeli intelligence knows “a great deal,” but wouldn’t specify whether it knew where exactly the hostages were being held.
