Netanyahu says Hamas, not Israel, preventing hostage deal

(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 29 rejected Hamas’s charge earlier in the day that Jerusalem is preventing a ceasefire agreement with new conditions and demands.

“The Hamas leadership is preventing an agreement,” he said according to a statement from his office.

“Israel neither changed, nor added any condition to, the [ceasefire] outline. On the contrary, as of now it is Hamas which has demanded 29 changes and has not responded to the original outline,” the statement continued.

“Israel stands on its principles according to the original outline: Maximizing the number of living hostages, Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor and preventing the passage of terrorists, weapons and ammunition to the northern Gaza Strip.”

In a statement posted to its website, the Gaza-based terror group said it had received an updated proposal following multilateral negotiations in Rome on Sunday involving Israel, the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

“It is clear from what the mediators conveyed that Netanyahu has returned to his strategy of procrastination, evasion and avoiding reaching an agreement by setting new conditions and demands,” read the statement.

Channel 13 reported on Monday evening that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Netanyahu at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting that preventing the return of residents to northern Gaza could scuttle the hostage deal.

“If you don’t want to do it, it’s possible; but we will miss the opportunity for a deal,” Gallant was quoted as saying. “We have already decided to approve the move to the north and if it doesn’t happen, there won’t be an agreement.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to Gallant’s assertion, according to the report, asking: “So you don’t have a problem with armed men going up [to northern Gaza]?”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reportedly said that the Israeli proposal unveiled by U.S. President Joe Biden on May 27 had not received formal approval.

Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel and Transportation Minister Miri Regev both conveyed the urgency of releasing the hostages still in the hands of Hamas.

“They are dying in captivity. We need to hurry because our time is running out,” said Regev.

Netanyahu then reminded those present that the topic of the meeting was Lebanon and that another gathering could be scheduled to discuss the ceasefire talks.

Israeli officials told Channel 13 that they are “rather pessimistic” after Mossad chief David Barnea returned from the Italian capital from Sunday’s two-hour meeting. The assessment was that the Hamas reaction to Israel’s updated outline presented to mediators with Netanyahu’s red lines would be negative.

According to Channel 13, Israel is demanding to see a list of the hostages still living before signing a deal. Jerusalem in recent days has transferred to Qatar and Egypt a list of abductees that fall under the humanitarian category, with a senior Israeli official telling Channel 13 that at least 30 of the people on the list are still alive.

The mediators, as well as the U.S. government, are discussing an outline that would see Hamas transfer the hostages during the first week of a deal being implemented and not ahead of time, which Israel opposes.