NNA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that Israel is ready to agree to release the prisoners but will not yield to Hamas’ demands, stressing that there will be no ceasefire before the prisoners are recovered.

He added at the beginning of an Israeli government meeting today that he had made it clear to the international community that "there will be no ceasefire in Gaza without the return of the abductees."

He stressed that "the war continues, claiming that Israel is one step away from achieving victory," noting at the same time that "the price we paid was painful."

The Israeli Prime Minister expressed his "readiness to reach an agreement to release the hostages from Gaza, but stressed that he is not ready to yield to Hamas' exaggerated demands."

This comes as the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Israeli War Council decided, after its meeting on Sunday, to send Mossad chief David Barnea to Cairo, where ceasefire negotiations and the release of prisoners will resume, with the participation of international mediators.

Hamas announced on Saturday that it would send a negotiating delegation to the Egyptian capital to participate in the talks, stressing that it would not give up on its demands.

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