Hamas attempts to blame Netanyahu for failure to reach hostage deal

The Hamas terrorist organization responded to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement outlining Israel's red lines in the negotiations with Hamas for the release of the hostages.

"At a time when we are showing flexibility and a positive approach to facilitate reaching an agreement to end the aggression, Netanyahu is placing additional obstacles before the negotiations, escalating his aggression and his crimes against our people and continuing his attempts forcibly displace them in order to thwart all efforts to reach an agreement," the Hamas statement said.

The terrorist organization continued, "We demand that the mediators intervene to put an end to Netanyahu's games and his crimes, and we demand that the international community and the UN fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities and apply pressure to stop the crime of extermination that our people is being subjected to, and to bring to justice the leaders of the occupation for their crimes."

On Sunday night, the Prime Minister's Office published Prime Minister Netanyahu's red lines in the negotiations with Hamas for a hostage deal.

Netanyahu's office emphasized that "the Prime Minister's strong stance against attempts to stop the IDF's operations in Rafah is what brought Hamas to the negotiating table."

It further noted that "the Prime Minister continues to stand strongly for the principles that Israel already agreed on: 1. Any deal will allow Israel to return to fight until all the war's goals are met. 2. Weapons will not be allowed to be smuggled to Hamas from the Gaza-Egypt border. 3. Thousands of armed terrorists will not be allowed to return to the northern Gaza Strip. 4. Israel will maximize the number of living hostages that are freed from Hamas captivity.

"The plan that has been agreed to by Israel and which has been welcomed by President Biden will allow Israel to return hostages without infringing on the other objectives of the war." Netanyahu's office concluded.