Israeli prime minister did not specify nature of 'alternatives' under consideration
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel is discussing "alternative options" with the US to retrieve hostages held in the Gaza Strip and to end Hamas' rule.
“Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas’s terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region,” Netanyahu’s office claimed on X.
Netanyahu did not specify the nature of the alternatives under consideration, while the Israeli opposition and families of the captives argue that the only path to retrieve the hostages is through an agreement with Hamas.
His statement came a day after he announced the recall of Israel’s negotiating team from the Qatari capital of Doha for consultations -- a move that mirrored a statement issued by US Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff on X Thursday.
“We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,” said the envoy.
“We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” said Witkoff.
Hamas has repeatedly expressed its readiness to release the Israeli captives “in one batch” in exchange for an end to the genocide and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Tel Aviv estimates that 50 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, including around 20 believed to be alive.
Meanwhile, more than 10,800 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, enduring torture, starvation, and medical neglect that has led to the death of many, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights reports.
Since July 6, indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel have been ongoing in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Egypt with US support, to reach a prisoner swap deal and a ceasefire agreement.
Israel has killed nearly 59,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
