Negotiations in Doha over a potential hostage deal with Hamas have yet to produce progress, sources familiar with the talks told Ynet on Monday. Meanwhile, the IDF stepped up military operations in Gaza.
Meanwhile, IDF Arabic spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee warned residents of Khan Younis of an “unprecedented attack” and ordered them to evacuate. “Move immediately westward toward the al-Mawasi area. From this moment on, the Khan Younis governorate will be considered an active combat zone. The terror organizations have brought disaster upon you. For your own safety—evacuate now,” he wrote.
According to Ynet military analyst Ron Ben-Yishai, the call to evacuate Khan Younis marks the second phase of Operation Gideon's Chariots, which is being carried out in three major stages: the first—already underway—involves preparations; the second includes preparatory air and ground strikes and the movement of most civilians in the enclave to safer zones near Rafah; and the third phase is a heavy ground maneuver to gradually seize control of parts of the territory and prepare for a prolonged military presence there.
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CNN reported Sunday night that Hamas had agreed to release 7–9 hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners. A senior Hamas official told the network that the release of hostages would depend on an Israeli withdrawal east of the Salah al-Din Road, Gaza's main north-south highway. However, Israeli officials dismissed the report as “Hamas propaganda,” stating that the terror group has yet to commit to any agreement. According to senior Israeli officials, “We’re not on the path to a deal yet—the gaps between the sides are substantial.”
The Security Cabinet convened Sunday night for a tense session focused on humanitarian aid to Gaza and the hostage issue. Before the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the negotiating team in Doha is acting under his directive to explore every chance for a deal—“whether according to a framework presented by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff or as part of ending the war, which would include the release of all hostages, the expulsion of Hamas operatives and the demilitarization of the Gaza.” This sparked an uproar among right-wing ministers. Israeli officials later clarified that negotiations are currently focused solely on the Witkoff framework, and if Hamas agrees to expulsion, a broader discussion about ending the war will follow.
Cabinet ministers said Netanyahu is facing one of the most consequential decisions of his premiership: whether to proceed with the first stage of the Witkoff plan, involving the release of 10 hostages, or pursue a broader deal.
On Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment in northern Gaza and emphasized that Operation Gideon's Chariots would continue “until we break the enemy’s fighting capability, until we defeat them wherever we operate.” At the same time, he stated: “The IDF will allow the political leadership flexibility to promote any hostage deal. A deal isn’t a pause—it’s an achievement. We are working for that.”