Overview

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 that he will stand in the 2026 elections and expressed confidence in winning another term.
• He stated the war will conclude only after a “phase B” that includes the full disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, and the confiscation of Hamas weapons.
• Hamas’s armed wing announced it would hand over the bodies of two Israeli hostages, a step presented as part of ongoing exchanges.
• Israel has tied the reopening of the Rafah crossing to the return of all deceased hostages, while Hamas warned that keeping the crossing closed could delay those transfers.
• Netanyahu, 76, is Israel’s longest-serving leader, having returned to office in December 2022 atop a 64-seat coalition, with his tenure marked by mass protests over judicial changes.