The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, with recent developments centering around a potential prisoner exchange deal. The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately creating obstacles to hinder the negotiations. In a statement, Hamas urged mediators to intervene and called on the international community and the United Nations to pressure Israel to cease what it describes as crimes against the Palestinian people.
Hamas highlighted Netanyahu's intensifying aggression and attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians as tactics to thwart the exchange deal. The movement also called on Palestinians to remain vigilant against psychological warfare from the Israeli army, emphasizing that their resistance would persist until the aggression is defeated.
Israeli officials have expressed concerns that Netanyahu's actions may obstruct the potential deal. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that security service leaders were shocked by a statement from Netanyahu's office, which asserted that any agreement must not compromise Israel's war goals. The statement emphasized that the deal should prevent the smuggling of weapons to Hamas and the return of militants to northern Gaza.
Netanyahu's office also claimed that the IDF's operations in Rafah prompted Hamas to enter negotiations. The Prime Minister's conditions for the deal include allowing Israel to continue its military operations until its war objectives are met, preventing weapon smuggling, and ensuring militants do not return to northern Gaza. Additionally, Israel aims to maximize the number of live abductees returned from Hamas captivity.
A senior Hamas official noted that a recent evacuation order for Palestinian residents in Gaza, issued by IDF spokesman Col. Avihai Adrai, is seen as an attempt to sabotage the negotiations. The evacuation order called for residents to move to shelters in Deir al-Balah, which Hamas believes undermines the potential for a successful agreement.
