Netanyahu "Hamas Rejected Deal to Retain Control and Plan More Attacks"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuted claims that Israel is blocking a hostage release deal, stating that Hamas rejected the US-mediated Witkoff proposal. He emphasized his commitment to freeing the hostages and eliminating Hamas’s threat, accusing media of spreading misleading narratives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected accusations that Israel is obstructing a hostage release deal with Hamas, asserting that his government accepted the proposed Witkoff deal while Hamas rejected it. Addressing claims propagated by some news outlets, Netanyahu stated, “They always echo Hamas propaganda, but they are always wrong. We accepted the deal, the Witkoff deal, and then the version proposed by the mediators. We accepted it, Hamas rejected it.” The Witkoff deal, mediated by US envoy Steve Witkoff in Doha, aimed to secure the release of the remaining 87 hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251.
Netanyahu accused Hamas of seeking to maintain control over Gaza to rearm and launch further attacks. “Hamas wants to stay in Gaza. They want us to leave, so they can rearm and attack us again and again,” he said. “I will not accept this; I will do everything to bring our hostages home. I meet with the families; I know their pain, I know their suffering. I am determined to bring the hostages home and eliminate Hamas.” Responding to polls suggesting public support for a deal, Netanyahu criticized their framing, saying, “Sure, I am in favour of a deal too, but they don’t tell you the other side. The polls are manipulated, they always mislead the public. They don’t ask, ‘Do you want a hostage deal that leaves Hamas in place? That allows them to repeat the rapes, the murders, the kidnappings, the invasions?’ No, that’s not it. Suddenly, the numbers turn completely, it’s all manipulated.”
He concluded, “We must do the right things, insist on releasing the hostages, and insist on the other goal of the war in Gaza, the elimination of Hamas, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel. That’s what I’m doing, I will not give up on any of these missions.” Social media posts on X reflect divided sentiments, with one user stating, “Netanyahu’s right, Hamas can’t stay in power,” while others criticized delays. The stalled talks, with Hamas demanding IDF withdrawal and governance guarantees, underscore the complexity of achieving both hostage release and security objectives.