Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 20, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Official says Israel seeks way to end Gaza war with hostage deal; PMO has no comment
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The house where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by troops, in southern Gaza's Rafah, October 20, 2024. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)
With the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israel is looking for an opportunity to wrap up the war in Gaza with a hostage deal, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
However, the Prime Minister’s Office declines to confirm the report, saying instead, “We will not end the war until we achieve all of our goals.”
“We are continuing to pressure Hamas militarily,” says the PMO official. “You can see the effects in Jabaliya. We are continuing to kill Hamas members. We are pushing for a psychological collapse.”
When that happens, says the PMO official, there is the possibility for separate deals with smaller Hamas factions.
