Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden in a phone call today that Israel has decided to send a delegation to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas, but will not end the war in the Gaza Strip until only “after he has achieved all his goals,” his office announced.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, the delegation will be headed by the head of the Mossad secret service.

Netanyahu’s office did not specify where the negotiations would take place.

On Wednesday, Hamas said it had sent mediators new “ideas” for ending the war in Gaza, noting that it had raised the issue with officials in Qatar and Egypt and had also been in contact with Turkey.

Israel confirmed it was “considering comments” from Hamas on a possible deal and would respond to mediators.

An Israeli delegation left to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas

An Israeli government official said today that a delegation has been sent to negotiate with Hamas for the release of hostages, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to convene the security council to discuss the Palestinian group’s new positions.

Before that meeting, late tonight, Netanyahu will hold talks with the team of negotiators, a source in his office said. US President Joe Biden, who has been pushing for a truce for months, also spoke with Netanyahu today.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that the war will end only after all objectives are achieved and not a minute earlier,” the official said, without specifying where the delegation was sent. Previous efforts to end the war were mediated by Egypt and Qatar, and talks have been held in both of these countries.

Under the deal reached in late November brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt, more than 100 hostages were released, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.

Since then, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure to secure the release of the remaining 136 hostages.

Israel on Wednesday received Hamas’s response to the proposal announced by Biden in late May, which includes the release of hostages and a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian official with knowledge of the mediation effort said Hamas has shown flexibility on some issues, allowing the framework for a deal to be drawn up if Israel approves.

Two Hamas officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hamas has said that any deal should include an end to the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel insists it will only accept temporary pauses in the conflict until Hamas is eliminated.

The proposal presented by Biden includes the gradual release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces during its first two phases, as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners. In the third phase, the reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave will begin and the remains of hostages killed while being held in Gaza will be returned.