Netanyahu: There has been an advancement in hostage-ceasefire negotiations

The advancement was “small,” and Netanyahu said that he did not know how much longer the negotiations would take in order to reach an agreement.

By ELIAV BREUER DECEMBER 23, 2024 17:59 Updated: DECEMBER 23, 2024 18:32

download high resolution download low resolution add to lightbox file name: F241218MA52 File Size: 6139 KB caption (en): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to the courtroom at the Distrcit court in Tel Aviv, before the start of his testimony in the trial, December 18, 2024 (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

There has been an “advancement” in hostage negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed in the Knesset plenum on Monday.

The advancement was “small,” and Netanyahu said that he did not know how much longer the negotiations would take in order to reach an agreement.

Netanyahu argued that there were three reasons for the advancement – the fact that Hamas Yahya Sinwar has been killed; the fact that Iran and Hezbollah are no longer actively backing Hamas; and the fact that Hamas continues to suffer blows.

Netanyahu also said that there was a “change” among our “neighbors,” that could lead to an enlargement of the “circle of peace.” These were an outcome of “tectonic changes” in the Middle East that were a result of Israel’s actions, Netanyahu said.

The comments came in a plenum debate known as a “40 signatures debate,” which is the Israeli equivalent of the British “Prime Minister’s Questions.”  The debate includes short speeches, usually mostly by the opposition, and the responses from the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.

Former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar looks on at an anti-Israel rally, in Gaza City, in 2022. (credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)

End of Iranian regime

While the official topic of the debate was the pending 2025 state budget, most of the speakers criticized the prime minister over his handling of hostage negotiations. They specifically pointed out an interview that Netanyahu gave recently in the Wall Street Journal in which he discussed the deal, despite ordering other ministers to remain quiet in order for the negotiations to succeed.

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid criticized the prime minister over an alleged document bring circulated by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz that includes principles of a new law regarding the haredi IDF draft. The principles, according to a source, are “general,” but include the draft of 50% of eligible haredim within seven years, as well as “institutional and individual sanctions” for those who oppose the draft.

Lapid argued that the principles de-facto would not lead to an increased haredi draft, and this would leave a heavy burden on IDF reservists. Lapid added that the principles were the only reason that the haredim agreed to support earlier voting on the 2025 budget, and accused the government of lying during the voting when they denied the existence of any back-door deals.