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As Israel and Hamas get ready for indirect negotiations on a US-proposed peace plan to end the war in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days.”

In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details,” adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days.”

But Netanyahu signalled there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Hamas has long demanded. He said Israel’s military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas will be disarmed in the plan’s second phase, diplomatically, or through a military path by us.”

The prime minister spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the US plan, which President Donald Trump welcomed, but on Saturday warned that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.”

Trump later said the ceasefire would begin immediately once Hamas confirms the “initial withdrawal line” in Gaza. A map with his social media post appeared to show much of Gaza still open to Israeli forces.

Dozens killed despite call for Israel to halt bombing

Trump has also ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza City reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, though hospital officials said at least 22 people were killed, including women and children.

Israel’s army said leaders instructed it to prepare for the US plan’s first phase. Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorised to speak to the media on the record.

Still, an Israeli strike on Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood killed at least 17 and injured 25 others, said Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim. “The strikes are still ongoing,” Naim said. Israel’s military said it struck a Hamas member and “regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians.”

Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, earlier Saturday, said Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City.