Sri Lanka, Oct. 5 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to announce the release of hostages being held in Gaza "in the coming days".

In a televised statement, he also said "Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised - either the easy way or the hard way, but it will be achieved."

The comments came after Hamas released a statement on Friday in which it agreed to free the hostages under a US peace plan, but did not mention disarmament and sought negotiations on other issues.

Hamas said on Saturday that Israel was continuing to commit "massacres", after strikes hit Gaza in the morning, and it urged global pressure on Israel.

Indirect ceasefire talks between the parties are set to start in Egypt on Mond...