The United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel have come to an understanding of the "basic contours" of a hostage deal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday.
The deal is still under negotiation, said Sullivan, who added there would have to be indirect discussions by Qatar and Egypt with Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu on Sunday said it was not clear yet whether a hostage deal would materialize from ongoing talks, declining to discuss specifics but saying the Islamist terrorist group Hamas needed to "come down to a reasonable situation."
IDF operations in Gaza
Netanyahu, speaking in an interview with CBS News, added he was meeting with staff later on Sunday to review a dual military plan that included the evacuation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and an operation to destroy remaining Hamas battalions.
"If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don't have a deal, we'll do it anyway," he told CBS.
US President Joe Biden has not been briefed on Israel's plan for military operations in Rafah but believes civilian life must be protected, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press program.
"We do not believe that an operation, a major military operation, should proceed in Rafah unless there is a clear and executable plan to protect those civilians, to get them to safety and to feed, clothe and house them," Sullivan said.