ALL hostages could be freed from Gaza by the end of the week, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claimed yesterday.
He said the 20 living and the bodies of the 28 dead held by Hamas may be returned “in coming days”.
Mr Netanyahu said Israel is “on the brink of a big achievement” and called the deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, in which the Israel Defence Forces will withdraw in stages, a “chance for victory”.
He added: “It’s still not final. We are working hard on it.
“I hope that, with God’s help, in the coming days, even during the Sukkot holiday, we will be able to announce the return of all the hostages — the living and the slain, in one go.”
The Sukkot Jewish holiday starts today and lasts a week.
But hopes captives could walk free on tomorrow’s second anniversary of the October 7 attacks were dashed as Hamas insisted on talks to fine-tune the deal.
Mediators warned efforts to bring home all captives were being delayed further because the terror group has lost track of some bodies of the deceased.
Other sources warned the deal remained fragile amid claims that Qatar-based Hamas negotiators have accepted terms, while the group’s fighters have not.
Israeli medical teams were last night standing by to receive living hostages in southern Israel at short notice, amid fears some are at death’s door after two years in brutal captivity.
Mr Trump warned he would “not tolerate delay” from Hamas yesterday as he shared a map of Israel’s Gaza withdrawal plan.
He told Hamas to “move quickly, or all bets will be off”.
