US claims Israeli hostages could be released soon
US President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, says it’s possible that Israeli hostages held in Gaza could be freed soon. This brings hope to the kin of those held hostage, and with that comes more hope that it could end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
“A very serious deal is brewing on the table — and it’s a matter of a few days,” Steve Witkoff told families of hostages he met at the White House on Thursday as quoted by The Times.
Revealing no further details, Trump hinted at progress being made to free remaining hostages. Ground operations and strikes in Gaza continue, the war-torn region is reeling under a humanitarian crisis. Death toll in Palestine mounts, above 50,000 have been killed since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In a letter published in major Israeli newspapers, hundreds of Air Force reservists and retirees have said the war has no military goal and “mainly serves political and personal interests. The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its stated goals and will lead to the death of abductees, IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, and to the attrition of reservists.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has dismissed the claims made by the reservists, who have signed the letter published.
Witkoff has taken on Trump administration’s key global negotiations and he is expected to meet Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, in Oman on Saturday. The meeting is an attempt to hold talks and curb Iran’s nuclear programme. White House warns of military action if talks fail.
During a cabinet meet, US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said, “We hope that’ll lead to peace. We’ve been very clear what Iran is never going to have as a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting.”
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