A deal to secure the release of hostages appears to be nearing completion, based on updates delivered to the relatives of those still in captivity. Steve Witkoff, former President Donald Trump’s Middle East representative, assured families during a Thursday meeting that “a very serious deal is taking shape—it’s a matter of days.”
Insiders suggest that Trump has signaled to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that he has only a limited window—possibly just a few more weeks—to carry on military operations before a more extensive ceasefire agreement is expected to be pursued.
Speaking to the press during a Thursday cabinet session at the White House, Trump echoed this sentiment, stating, “We’re getting close to getting them back,” and adding, “We’re making progress, we’re dealing with Israel, we’re dealing with Hamas, and it’s a nasty group.” He offered no specifics on the pace or content of the negotiations.
In response, Netanyahu’s office announced that the prime minister had convened a meeting with Israel’s security team and negotiators to review developments related to the hostages.
During a Security Cabinet session held the previous night—noticeably without the participation of Israel’s top military brass—ministers reviewed Netanyahu’s recent trip to Washington and debated ramping up military efforts against Hamas. Transportation Minister Miri Regev argued that Israel’s current actions lacked sufficient intensity. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Israel to take control of Gaza and encourage population movement “according to Trump’s plan.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated launching a significant ground assault if Hamas fails to free all captives.
According to reports, American officials told relatives of hostages that the matter was front and center during Trump’s recent talks with Netanyahu at the White House. They relayed that Washington is pushing for a sweeping diplomatic resolution—ending hostilities in Gaza while advancing normalization talks with Saudi Arabia. This initiative also involves renewed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear activities.
Those familiar with the situation say Trump is prepared to allow the conflict to continue for only another two or three weeks at most before calling for it to stop. “There’s no end to this war without resolving the hostage issue,” one Israeli official commented.
Meanwhile, Karina Arayev—recently freed after enduring 477 days in Hamas captivity—issued a heartfelt plea ahead of Pesach: “Until they return, none of us are truly free.”
{Matzav.com}