Israel is prepared to bring the conflict in Gaza to a close immediately—on the condition that all hostages are freed and Hamas is no longer present in the territory, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said during a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in Paris.
“The way is very simple,” Sa’ar said, “hostages back, Hamas out.”
He noted that efforts are still underway to reach an agreement that would extend the current pause in fighting and secure the return of captives. “We are still giving a chance to negotiations to extend the ceasefire and release our hostages on the basis of [US special envoy Steve] Witkoff’s proposal, but it is not open-ended,” he warned, referencing a plan aimed at freeing five Israeli hostages.
Militant factions in Gaza are still holding 59 hostages, including 58 of the 251 taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion of Israel. Among those held are at least 35 individuals whose deaths have been verified by the IDF.
On March 18, Israel resumed heavy airstrikes in Gaza, followed by the launch of a fresh ground campaign, officially breaking the nearly two-month-long truce with Hamas.
The ceasefire brokered on January 19 was intended to lead to negotiations on a second phase after a few weeks. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to proceed, reiterating his position that the war will not conclude until Hamas’s command structure and military strength are fully dismantled. Hamas, for its part, turned down several proposals to prolong the initial ceasefire while continuing the hostage release process.
France has called for a revival of the January agreement and a complete cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
In additional comments Thursday, Sa’ar said that both Israel and France share concerns about Lebanon, emphasizing a mutual interest in preserving the current calm and ending Iran’s influence in the country through Hezbollah. “We are interested in the stability of Lebanon, the continuation of the ceasefire, and the release of Lebanon from Iranian occupation,” he stated.
Sa’ar referred to France as a “friendly country,” and said he had extended an invitation to Barrot to visit Israel.
{Matzav.com}