US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, revealed intriguing information about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on the hostage deal, which is facing a stalemate.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that Witkoff indicated in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that "the Israeli public is demanding the return of the kidnapped soldiers, while Netanyahu is acting contrary to the public mood."

It continued, saying that Witkoff said during the interview that Netanyahu "believes he is doing the right thing" by using military pressure in Gaza as a means to return the hostages.

In contrast, the US envoy stressed that Hamas must disarm, "after which it can participate politically in Gaza."

In response to Witkoff's "surprising" remarks, a source in Netanyahu's office told Channel 12 that he "believes the prime minister is committed to returning the abductees" and that "US President Donald Trump's policy is to eliminate Hamas, a policy that aligns with the war's objectives."

Earlier, Channel 12 revealed escalating tensions between the United States and Israel over the failure of ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip and the resumption of military operations, amid sharp criticism of the Israeli government's handling of the situation.

According to the channel, the disagreements between the two sides did not stop at Witkov's recent statements, but extended to include criticism of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu's closest confidantes, who was accused of obstructing the negotiations and escalating the situation.

The channel quoted informed Israeli sources as saying that the Dermer-Witkoff axis failed in its mission, adding that Ron Dermer, the Israeli negotiator, lacks the political tools required to manage this sensitive issue, despite Netanyahu's confidence in him.