Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on US President-elect Donald Trump to pressure mediators into securing the release of a larger number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, according to a report by N12 on Sunday.
“There is a need for the US to push the mediators to agree to a much more substantial release of hostages,” Netanyahu reportedly told Trump.
According to N12, Hamas has expressed a willingness to negotiate terms for a humanitarian release, a stance Netanyahu said was unprecedented. However, he criticized the number of hostages Hamas is currently offering to release, calling it "unacceptable."
Gaps remain between the two sides
Significant gaps reportedly remain between the two sides on the number of hostages to be included in a potential deal.
The Prime Minister's Office responded to the report, saying, "The Prime Minister is working to release the hostages as fast as possible and is not addressing details of his conversation with president-elect Donald Trump."