Netanyahu: Combination of military, diplomatic pressure by Israel led to better hostage deal
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the combination of military and diplomatic pressure applied by Israel is what led to improved terms in the hostage deal slated to be implemented tomorrow morning.
Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu says he just got off the phone with US President Joe Biden whom he thanked for answering his requests to pressure Qatar to improve the terms of the deal.
A senior Israeli official briefing reporters earlier said that US President Joe Biden sent CIA chief William Burns to Qatar in order to quash a Hamas demand to designate all Israeli women under 50 as soldiers, and instead to use that classification only for the five women soldiers on active duty who are held by the terror group.
Netanyahu says the dual diplomatic and military pressure will continue after the multi-day truce and will improve terms for future deals until all of the hostages are returned home, including fallen IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul as well as civilians Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed who have been held by Hamas for almost a decade as well.
Netanyahu highlights the inclusion of a clause in the deal that will allow the Red Cross to visit the hostages who will not be released.
He notes claims from the Red Cross that it has not been informed of this clause and proceeds to read it aloud in Hebrew. The document he appears to be reading from has not been published, though, and no other party to the negotiations is familiar with Netanyahu’s claim.
