Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Monday, January 8, 2024

Report: Israel plans to tell Blinken: Gazans’ return to their homes contingent on hostage deal advancement

8 January 2024, 11:19 pm 6 Edit
Families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza who returned from talks in Qatar hold a press conference at Hostages Square, outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, January 7, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza who returned from talks in Qatar hold a press conference at Hostages Square, outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, January 7, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Israeli leaders plan to tell US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meetings tomorrow that they will only be willing to allow Palestinians to begin returning to their homes in northern Gaza if there is progress on the effort to return the 132 Israelis still held hostage in Gaza, the Walla news site reports.

The US has said coaxing Israel to allow Palestinians to return to their homes would be a top objective of Blinken’s during his trip along with efforts to secure the release of the hostages.

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