Hamas: US offer meets Netanyahu’s demands, prevents deal from being completed

Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas issued a statement on Sunday evening, saying that "after we listened to the mediators about what happened in the talks, we were assured that Netanyahu is still placing obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement." Hamas explained that "the new proposal responds to Netanyahu's conditions and is consistent with them, especially his rejection of a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza, and responds to Netanyahu's conditions, especially his insistence on continuing to occupy the Netzarim Junction, the Rafah Crossing, and the Philadelphi Corridor." The movement stated that "Netanyahu is setting new conditions and demands with the aim of thwarting the efforts of the mediators and prolonging the war, and is setting new conditions in the prisoner exchange file and retreating from other items, which prevents the completion of the exchange deal." Hamas held Netanyahu "fully responsible for thwarting the mediators' efforts and obstructing reaching an agreement," and the movement affirmed "our commitment to what we agreed to on July 2, based on the Biden Declaration and the Security Council resolution." Hamas called on the mediators to "assume their responsibilities and oblige the occupation to implement what was agreed upon," adding that "we dealt responsibly with the efforts of the mediators in Qatar and Egypt and with all the proposals aimed at reaching an agreement." The movement indicated that it had asked "the mediators to present a plan to implement what was presented to us and to which we agreed so that the negotiations would not remain in a vicious circle." Source: Maan News Agency