Hamas rejects latest hostage deal proposal by US, says Netanyahu responsible for danger to hostages’ lives

The terror organization Hamas on Sunday evening officially rejected the latest proposal for a hostage and truce agreement that had been agreed upon by Israel and the mediators during a high-level summit in Doha late last week.

Just hours earlier, statements leaked to the Israeli press indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t share in the enthusiasm shown by the mediating countries – especially the United States – but was skeptical about the chances of securing a deal.

Israel’s KAN news outlet quoted Netanyahu telling government ministers, “The chances are not high,” especially since Israel had been negotiating the terms with mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, rather than with Hamas.

On Sunday evening, the terror group released a statement that decisively rejected the agreement proposed in Doha in recent days, calling into question the whole current round of talks.

Hamas then accused Netanyahu of “still putting obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement, and is setting new conditions and demands.”

“The new proposal responds to Netanyahu’s conditions and aligns with them, especially his rejection of a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and his insistence on continuing to occupy the Netzarim Junction, the Rafah Crossing, and the Philadelphi Corridor,” the Hamas statement read.

“We hold Netanyahu fully responsible for thwarting the mediators’ efforts, obstructing reaching an agreement, and fully responsible for the lives of his prisoners who are exposed to the same danger that our people are exposed to, as a result of his continued aggression and systematic targeting of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip.”

Earlier in the day, Israeli's Channel 13 reported that during a discussion to prepare for coming rounds of talks on Sunday, Israel’s negotiating team and security officials once again urged Netanyahu to be more flexible on his declared red lines, especially the presence of Israeli troops in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egyptian border and the Netzarim corridor cutting through the Gaza Strip.

Despite reports that Netanyahu had approved a broader mandate during recent talks, the team reportedly demanded additional concessions. They warned that a failure of the current negotiations could lead to a complete breakdown of talks and potentially trigger regional conflagration.

Netanyahu reportedly retorted that this was a political rather than a security decision, telling the security officials to focus on their responsibilities.

Shortly after these discussions were leaked, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) slammed the “serial leakers” who it said harmed the chances for a deal.

“They claimed for months that Hamas would never agree to give in on ending the war as a condition for a deal, and proposed giving in to Hamas’s demand. They were wrong then – and they are also wrong today,” the PMO said.

“The Prime Minister has strongly insisted on this fundamental demand, which is vital to achieving the goals of the war, and Hamas changed its positions. Today as well, the Prime Minister insists that we remain in the Philadelphi Corridor in order to prevent terrorist elements from rearming.”

The meeting from which Netanyahu’s comments were leaked was intended to prepare Israel’s positions during follow-up talks in Cairo and Doha, which began on Monday.

During the discussions, security officials once again proposed alternative solutions to control the Gaza border with Egypt without the physical presence of IDF soldiers on the ground.