Netanyahu claims Hamas rejected proposed deal, insists on remaining in Gaza
'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Sunday that Hamas has rejected recent captive exchange proposals, including a plan advanced by 'Israeli' negotiator Ronen Bar and another by international mediators.
“We want a deal, but not one that allows Hamas to repeat the crimes it committed,” Netanyahu reportedly told 'Israeli' media, insisting that any agreement must involve dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and preventing its rearmament.
He added that 'Israel' remains committed to bringing home the captives, but said this must go hand-in-hand with what he described as the destruction of Hamas.
Netanyahu rejected accusations from 'Israeli' media that he is obstructing negotiations, claiming they are “echoing Hamas propaganda.” He also dismissed recent polls showing strong public support for a deal, calling them “engineered surveys.”
Netanyahu defended his recent four-day visit to Washington, which many reports say failed to yield a ceasefire announcement, calling it “very successful” and accusing media outlets of misrepresenting both his intentions and public sentiment.
“We accepted the deal, the [US envoy Steve] Witkoff framework, and even the modified version suggested by the mediators. Hamas refused it,” he claimed, referring to ongoing talks in Doha.
He alleged that Hamas’s goal is to remain in Gaza, rearm, and continue launching attacks, stating: “I won’t accept that.”
Netanyahu also dismissed polling data showing widespread support for a deal, arguing that the questions fail to present the full picture. “These are manipulated polls… They don’t ask: Do you want a deal that leaves Hamas in place so it can commit murder, rape, and kidnappings again?”
Reiterating his position, Netanyahu said: “We must insist on releasing the hostages and on the other war objective: eliminating Hamas and ensuring Gaza can no longer threaten Israel. That’s what I’m doing.”
In response, 'Israel’s' Channel 12 clarified that its survey, showing 74 percent support for a deal, including 60 percent of Netanyahu coalition voters, asked whether respondents supported releasing all captives in exchange for ending the war in Gaza.
