Netanyahu, meeting hardline hostage families, said to say ‘not sure there will be a deal’ and IDF won’t leave Philadelphi, Netzarim

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he’s “not sure there will be a deal,” according to hostage families who met him today, representing groups demanding that their loved ones be freed by military pressure rather than via a deal with Hamas.

One of the relatives who participated in the meeting, Zvika Mor, whose son Eitan is captive in Gaza, tells Hebrew media afterwards that his impression was that Netanyahu “doesn’t believe there will be a deal.”

Mor says he and colleagues from the hardline Gvura and Tikva forums, which represent families of some slain soldiers and some hostages respectively, voiced concerns of the potential deal currently being negotiated.

The forums say Netanyahu reiterated during the meeting that should a deal end up being sealed, it would “safeguard Israel’s interests.” They say the premier said he told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in their meeting yesterday that “Israel won’t leave the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor under any circumstances.”