Israel prepares new hostage agreement with Trump's support

Israel is working with the US on a new agreement to release an additional group of hostages.

US President Donald Trump is involved in the process, states Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The hostages are in agony. We want to get them all out. Steve Witkoff is President Trump’s very able representative. (He) helped us get a deal that got 25 out. We’re working now on another deal, that we hope will succeed," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media sources.

Netanyahu also mentioned that he speaks with the hostages' families every day. According to him, Israel aims to give the people of Gaza the freedom to make a choice and go wherever they want.

The head of government pointed out President Trump's bold vision, which he discussed on Monday, April 7, and which involves offering Palestinians the option to migrate to countries that are willing to accept them.

A declaration adopted following the meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, and Jordan's King Abdullah II in Cairo, calls for the restoration of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip that came into effect on January 19.

"In light of the resumption of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, we call for the immediate reinstatement of the ceasefire regime and the implementation of the agreement that came into force on January 19," the document reads. The leaders emphasized that the January deal "ensured the release of [Israeli] hostages and [Palestinian] detainees and guaranteed their safety."

They also declared that any attempts to annex Palestinian territories are unacceptable.

"The leaders of the three countries reject plans to relocate Palestinians from their land and any attempts to annex Palestinian territories," the document states. The leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and France also expressed concern over "the worsening humanitarian situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem" and stressed the need to "respect the historical status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites."

The initial ceasefire, which began on January 19, 2025, involved a hostages-and-prisoners exchange and was intended to last through multiple phases. However, it ended prematurely on March 18, 2025, when Israel resumed full-scale military operations, citing Hamas's refusal to release additional hostages and ongoing security concerns.

By Khagan Isayev