Netanyahu: I Hope 10 Living Hostages Will Be Released 'In a Few Days'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed Washington for Israel aboard the "Wing of Zion" plane on Thursday night, concluding a four-day visit during which he met twice at the White House with President Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated, "All the goals Netanyahu sought to achieve during the visit were accomplished."

Meanwhile, Netanyahu gave an interview to Newsmax in which he expressed cautious optimism regarding the potential release of an additional ten living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

In the interview, the Prime Minister detailed ongoing negotiations for a temporary ceasefire agreement, aiming to secure the freedom of those abducted on October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu described the ordeal of the 255 initial hostages as "hell," unequivocally labeling Hamas as "monsters" due to their treatment of captives.

"Well, they're monsters. I mean what they do to them and the stories we get are horrible," Netanyahu stated. "So it's not easy for us when we're doing it."

The Prime Minister reiterated Israel's unwavering commitment to bringing all remaining hostages home.

"We have 50 left; 20 definitely alive, and some 30 that are not alive, and I want to take them all out," he told Newsmax. "We now have a deal that supposedly we'll get half of the living and half of the dead out, and so we'll have 10 living left and about 12 deceased hostages. But I'll get them out, too. I hope we can complete in a few days."

The proposed deal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire, during which the initial group of hostages would be released, followed by further negotiations to end the conflict. Netanyahu asserted that the conflict could cease immediately "if Hamas lays down its arms."

Beyond the plight of the hostages, Netanyahu highlighted the oppressive nature of Hamas's rule over Palestinian Arabs in Gaza, noting the terrorist group’s use of its own civilians as human shields.

"It is a fighting force and a governing force in Gaza that oppresses its people, targets our people, our civilians, and uses their civilians as human shields. And then they complain that the civilian losses are because of us," he told Newsmax. "No, we say to the civilians, 'Leave. Leave the war zone.' ... And Hamas says, 'You don't go. You try to leave the war zone, we'll shoot you.' And they shoot them because they want the pictures of dead civilians that they are causing put on Israel's head. And that's what you get in TikTok and the social media: 'Israel is deliberately killing civilians'; no, we're not. Hamas is deliberately killing its own people, preventing them from escaping the war zone. So they're monsters."

At the same time, the Prime Minister noted an unprecedented development: a growing defiance among Palestinian Arabs against Hamas. (INN/VFI News)

“Lord, we ask for mercy and swift deliverance for the hostages still in captivity. Bring a breakthrough in the negotiations and return them safely to their families. Give wisdom and strength to the leaders striving to rescue them.”