Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Saturday that Israel "will eliminate Hamas and return the hostages."
"This is the order. And we will do it," was Netanyahu's pledge, which was released through a video message addressed to his people, immediately after the release of three Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for 183 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, writes Le Monde.
By the end of the ceasefire agreement, 1900 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released by Israel.
Hamas has so far released a total of 16 Israeli hostages as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, out of a total of 33 promised. Eight of the 33 are dead, according to the Israeli government.
After the release of the three hostages on Saturday, Hamas continues to hold 73 people kidnapped by Israel on October 7, 2023, out of a total of 251 initially kidnapped. Three other hostages, who have been held since 2014, are still in Gaza.
