Netanyahu says he's committed to hostage-ceasefire deal after casting doubt

Driving the news: The Israeli proposal, which was approved by Netanyahu's cabinet and delivered to Hamas more than three weeks ago, involves a three-phase deal that would lead to the release of all remaining 120 hostages and to "sustainable calm" in Gaza.

• But on Sunday, Netanyahu told Channel 14, an Israeli television channel friendly to the prime minister, that he is interested in a "partial deal" with Hamas that will free "some of the hostages" held in Gaza and allow Israel to continue fighting in the enclave.
• Netanyahu had previously not publicly said he didn't intend to implement all three phases of the deal proposed by Israel.
• Hamas in a statement on Sunday said Netanyahu's comments showed he opposes the UN Security Council resolution and isn't onboard with Biden's push for a deal and an end to the war in Gaza.
• Qatari officials told Israeli Mossad officials they were very frustrated by Netanyahu's initial remarks on Sunday "especially after they have been working day and night" to bridge the gaps and asked for clarifications, a source with knowledge told Axios.

What they're saying: "I promise you ... we will not end the war until we return all of our hostages — 120 hostages, the living and the deceased. We are committed to the Israeli proposal, which President Biden has welcomed. Our position has not changed," Netanyahu said in a speech on Monday at the Knesset.

• He added that at the same time, Israel will not end the war until it eliminates Hamas.

Behind the scenes: Members of the Israeli hostage negotiations team and Biden administration officials were stunned by Netanyahu's remarks and tried to understand why he made them, Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.

• One Israeli official said Netanyahu's remarks caused "serious damage" to the efforts to reach a deal because they sent the message to Hamas that Israel doesn't intend to implement all of it.
• A Netanyahu aide said the prime minister's comments were "a gaffe" and that Netanyahu admitted last night that a clarification was in order.
• State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on Monday told reporters that "those of us who speak publicly sometime misspeak and when it happens we have an obligation to clarify and we are glad that he did."

A senior member of the Israeli negotiations team said that after Netanyahu's remarks in the Knesset, Israel sent messages to Hamas through Egyptian and Qatari mediators stressing it is committed to the proposal for the hostage deal.

• The source said Israel even shared with the mediators video of Netanyahu's speech in the Knesset during which the prime minister said Israel is still committed to the deal and that the negotiators asked that the video be passed on to Hamas.
• "Netanyahu's words at the Knesset were an important correction," the source said.
• "To this day he has not said publicly that he supports the Israeli proposal. Netanyahu's words move the ball to Hamas's court. If Hamas says yes, there will be a deal. We now need to push for a deal with everything we got," he said.

The other side: The head of the Hamas negotiation team, Khalil al-Haya, told Al Jazeera that Hamas is ready for real negotiations if Netanyahu commits to Biden's principles.

• "We hope that the mediators will succeed in getting Israel to reach a deal and end the war," he said.

State of play: Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant met on Monday in Washington with CIA director Bill Burns and discussed the efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza.

• Gallant told reporters before the meeting that he is committed to bringing all the hostages back home.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from the State Department and that Hamas made to Al Jazeera.