Striking claim from Israeli press regarding hostages in Gaza and Netanyahu!

Israeli private television channel Channel 13 reported that unnamed Israeli ministers had recently prepared the outlines of a proposal for an agreement regarding the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

While it was stated that the negotiations were expected to be advanced through an (unnamed) mediator, it was reported that Netanyahu hardened his stance and ultimately rejected the move.

According to the channel, it was noted that Netanyahu made the decision to reject the proposal without coordination with War Cabinet Ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, who expressed their anger at the Prime Minister's stance.

Channel 13 also reported that political officials, whose names were not given, said that Netanyahu was "obstructing efforts toward an agreement for the release of the kidnapped individuals."

In a statement from Netanyahu's office regarding the negotiations, it was stated that "the condition demanded by Hamas, which the Prime Minister categorically rejected, was the end of the war."

According to the Israeli army, there are still 136 Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

During the "humanitarian pause" in the conflicts in Gaza, which began on November 24, 2023, for 4 days and was later extended for 3 days through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt, 81 Israeli and 240 Palestinian prisoners were released in a mutual exchange.

News Source: AA