Netanyahu orders hostage talks with Hamas amid Gaza ceasefire deadlock

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, issued an order on Thursday for negotiators to begin talks with Hamas regarding the release of hostages. The Prime Minister's office conveyed this information on Sunday.

The statement claimed that Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision resulted from a consultation with high-ranking members of Israel's defence establishment. However, the details concerning the delegation's objective were not disclosed in the Prime Minister's office's statement.

So far, despite the efforts of Qatar and Egypt, which the United States has supported, no agreement on a ceasefire has been reached. Both sides of the conflict in Gaza, which has been ongoing for over nine months, accuse each other of sabotaging the talks, notes Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Joe Biden in Washington this coming Tuesday, according to information conveyed by his office on Sunday. Netanyahu is also scheduled to address Congress during his visit to the United States.

On Sunday, Politico reported that Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately delaying the talks with Hamas about a ceasefire and the release of hostages. According to Politico, the Israeli Prime Minister is under pressure from radical members of his cabinet and is counting on the return of Donald Trump to the White House, which he believes could strengthen Israel's position in the Middle Eastern conflict.