Nine Palestinians were killed Saturday in an Israeli drone strike west of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza while participating in a mission for a charitable organization, according to local sources.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed his response to Hamas’s acceptance of a mediated prisoner exchange and ceasefire proposal until Saturday evening.
Netanyahu’s office stated Friday that “while Israel has accepted the plan proposed by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas continues to reject it and has not budged. Instead, it remains engaged in manipulation and psychological warfare.”
The statement added that Netanyahu would meet with his ministerial team Saturday evening to review a report from the negotiating team and determine the next steps regarding a potential prisoner release.
The White House, for its part, accused Hamas of making “unrealistic demands” that could derail a permanent ceasefire agreement. A joint statement from US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff’s office and the National Security Council warned that Hamas was miscalculating by assuming time was on its side. “It is not, and if the deadline for responding to our proposal passes, we will act accordingly,” the statement read.
With negotiations at an impasse in Doha, talks were expected to shift to Cairo. Hamas confirmed Friday that a delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya had traveled to the Egyptian capital to meet with officials and continue discussions.
In a related development, Hamas announced its agreement to release an Israeli-American soldier and the remains of four captives with dual nationality as part of efforts to advance ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations.
In a statement, the group said it had responded “responsibly and positively” to the latest proposal, agreeing to release soldier Idan Alexander, who holds US citizenship, along with the remains of four other captives. Hamas reiterated its willingness to negotiate a comprehensive agreement and urged Israel to fulfill its commitments.
Meanwhile, the Rafah Municipality announced it had halted fuel distribution for private and agricultural wells due to Israel’s ongoing blockade and the closure of crossings, which has prevented fuel from entering Gaza.
