Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would open talks on a permanent end to the Gaza war as soon as a United States-backed 60-day truce takes effect. Speaking in Washington, he signalled willingness to convert the pause into a lasting ceasefire, provided Hamas agrees to be disarmed and stripped of its governing authority in the enclave. Netanyahu warned that the Israel Defense Forces would resume military operations if the Islamist group is not dismantled within the two-month negotiating window. “If negotiations fail after 60 days, we will return to fighting,” he said, reiterating that Gaza must be fully demilitarised for any agreement to hold. The prime minister added that about 50 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive. He expressed hope that a deal to free roughly half of the captives could be reached within days as part of the truce framework. Indirect negotiations, mediated by the United States and Qatar, continue over the scope of an eventual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the flow of humanitarian aid.