Netanyahu and his allies confirmed the continuation of the war and the lack of concessions to the resistance (Al Jazeera)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says military pressure is necessary to repatriate "detainees and win the war," amid diplomatic efforts to seal a new swap deal.

Netanyahu said at a joint news conference with Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Defense Council Minister Benny Gantz that they were determined to "continue fighting until Hamas is eliminated and our kidnappers are returned."

Netanyahu said he had told Israeli negotiators that the military's pressure was helping efforts to recover the "hostages" and stressed that he would not stop the war and would not withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza as Hamas requires before achieving war goals and repatriating detainees.

Asked about the prisoner release negotiations, Netanyahu said they were not discussing negotiations in public, but noted that they were conducting the negotiations in the language of blood and fire.

Gantz indicated that they would do everything to free their prisoners from Gaza.

The press conference coincided with demonstrations by the families of prisoners in Gaza, during which they demanded an end to the war and negotiations for the release of their children.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that thousands of demonstrators in the "Hostage Square" began heading to the main entrance of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv to sit there.

Netanyahu's comments contradict what the Israel Broadcasting Corporation has reported that Tel Aviv is considering submitting a new proposal for the release of its prisoners held by the resistance in the Gaza Strip.

Israel Radio reported that the move by the Netanyahu government came in the wake of the killing of three captured soldiers in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza.

Israel's Channel 12 also reported that the War Command Council would discuss a new swap deal with Hamas.

The channel quoted a political official as saying that "the upcoming negotiations will be more complicated."

Prisoner exchange negotiations

In this context, the American Axios website reported informed sources that Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met with Mossad director David Barnea on Friday evening in the Norwegian capital Oslo, and discussed the resumption of talks to ensure the release of detainees and prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza.

The CIA director and the head of Egyptian intelligence were briefed on the details of the meeting as partners in trying to renew negotiations.

Reuters reported that Barnea returned to Israel early on Saturday to brief Netanyahu.

According to Reuters, citing Egyptian sources, Israeli officials, in their contacts with mediators, appear more open to a new ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza.

According to Egyptian sources, Israeli officials apparently changed their minds on some points they had previously rejected, but the two sides did not elaborate.

Former Golani commander Moshe Kaplinsky said, "The recovery of abductees is only through a deal and not through military pressure."

Hamas has confirmed on more than one occasion its refusal to discuss any prisoner exchange without a full ceasefire and a cessation of aggression.

In the battle for the Al-Aqsa flood, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, captured 239 Israelis, mostly soldiers, and exchanged civilians for Palestinian child and female prisoners during the humanitarian truce.

Source : Al Jazeera + Agencies