Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he very much hopes to be able to announce something about the hostage deal, “and if not today, we will announce it tomorrow,” as negotiations with Hamas – mediated by the US – are in full swing and have not settled on an outcome.

In a video posted by Netanyahu on social media, he said Israel must address “baseless accusations” it is facing “from the international community” and that 25 hostages were released only after he replaced the negotiating team.