Israel and the U.S. are discussing “alternative options” to retrieve the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday.
"Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas's terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region," Netanyahu's office claimed on X.
Netanyahu did not specify the nature of the alternatives under consideration, while the Israeli opposition and families of the captives argue that the only path to retrieve the hostages is through an agreement with Hamas.
His statement came a day after he announced the recall of Israel's negotiating team from the Qatari capital of Doha for consultations -- a move that mirrored a statement issued by U.S. Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff on X Thursday.
"We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," said the envoy.
