Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 assault, declared Israel’s commitment to fulfilling all objectives of the Gaza campaign -- beginning with the return of the remaining hostages.
"We are in fateful, decisive days," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. "We will continue to act to achieve all the war's objectives: the return of all abductees, the elimination of Hamas's rule, and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel."
Indirect talks between Hamas and the Israeli government, taking place in Egypt since Monday, aim to bring an end to the ongoing Gaza conflict. Against this backdrop, Netanyahu’s reference to “the elimination of Hamas’s rule” marks a shift from earlier comments that focused more broadly on destroying the Palestinian Islamist movement.
As Israel marked two years since the Hamas attack that sparked the war, Netanyahu announced his pledge to persist in both military and diplomatic efforts until every objective -- and every hostage’s release -- is achieved.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump pledged American support for Gaza security guarantees and expressed optimism about a potential breakthrough in the hostage negotiations.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, "I think there's a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East" beyond just Gaza. He added that he would discuss the situation with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
A U.S. official confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who served as Trump’s Middle East envoy during his first term, were traveling to Egypt on Tuesday to take part in the ongoing negotiations, reported Reuters.
The talks are seen as the most promising yet to end a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage.
"We are very close to making a deal on the Middle East that will bring peace to the Middle East after all of these years," Trump said at the start of his meeting with Carney.
Asked what kind of security guarantees the United States might provide, Trump vowed support but declined to offer details. "We are going to do everything possible -- we have a lot of power -- and we're going to do everything possible to make sure everybody adheres to the deal," he said.
With inputs from AFP and Reuters
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