Netanyahu hints at new talks on hostages

CAIRO/GAZA — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm on Saturday that new negotiations were underway to recover hostages held by Hamas, after a source said Israel's intelligence chief met the prime minister of Qatar, a country mediating in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a televised news conference a day after Israeli forces mistakenly killed three of more than 100 hostages held by Hamas, Netanyahu called the conflict an existential war that must be fought until victory, despite pressure and costs, and said Gaza would be demilitarized and under Israeli security control.

Israel's offensive in Gaza had helped clinch a partial hostage-release deal last month, he said, vowing to maintain intense military pressure on Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.

"The instruction I am giving the negotiating team is predicated on this pressure, without which we have nothing," he said.

Netanyahu spoke after the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency, David Barnea, met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Europe late on Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, and attention turned to a possible new Gaza truce and a prisoner and hostage deal.

Netanyahu sidestepped a question about the meeting, but confirmed he had given instructions to the negotiating team.

A Hamas statement said the group "affirms its position not to open any negotiations to exchange prisoners unless the aggression against our people stops once and for all", adding: "The movement communicated this position to all mediators."

Israel bombarded targets across Gaza on Saturday, but two Egyptian security sources said Israeli officials now appeared more willing to work toward a cease-fire and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

An Israeli military official said the three hostages killed had been holding a white flag, according to an initial inquiry. Their deaths have increased pressure on Netanyahu to find a way to secure the release of those held.

The World Health Organization said on Saturday that it participated in a joint United Nations mission to deliver health supplies and assess the situation at the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The team delivered medicines and surgical supplies, orthopedic surgery equipment, and anesthesia materials and drugs to the hospital, which was "currently minimally functional", the WHO said.

Agencies Via Xinhua