\”We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment,\” Netanyahu said at a ceremony for combat officers. \”In Gaza, we have eliminated most of Hamas’s organised forces, but let there be no doubt — we will complete the war’s objectives entirely,\” he added. Israel halted the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of a truce deal. The two sides are expected to resume talks on a long-term peace deal on Monday. The Israeli prime minister said he was confident of reaching a deal with the Palestinians by the end of the week. The deal would include the release from prison of thousands of prisoners, as well as a prisoner exchange for Israeli soldiers. The Palestinian government has rejected the deal, saying it would lead to the death of its members and a return of prisoners to the Gaza Strip. The U.N. Security Council has approved a cease-fire deal between Israel and the Palestinians, but it has not yet been implemented. The United Nations has also approved the cease-fires, saying they would only be in place for a few days.
