Israel Blames Hamas for Reneging on Gaza Agreement, Creating Last-Minute Crisis

Hamas attempts last-minute changes after deal announced, PMO says

AMICHAI STEIN

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a conference call with the negotiating team in Doha, who reported on last-minute attempts by Hamas to back out of the hostage agreement, the Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement on Thursday.

"Contrary to an explicit clause that gives Israel veto power over the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terror, Hamas demands to dictate the identity of these terrorists," the statement said. 

"The prime minister instructed the negotiating team to stand firm on the agreed understandings and to outright reject Hamas's last-minute extortion attempts."

However, according to a source with intel into the matter who spoke to The Jerusalem Post, there has been "progress in the attempts to solve the crisis in the talks that are held with Qatar."

"The mediators believe that the 'crisis' is being solved," the source added. 

Earlier in the evening, the Prime Minister's Office indicated that some unresolved issues remain in the framework but expressed hope that these would be finalized overnight. The Security Cabinet is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. to give final approval to the agreement.

Israel Blames Hamas for Reneging on Gaza Agreement, Creating Last-Minute Crisis

Sputnik

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Thursday accused Palestinian movement Hamas of reneging on points of agreement on the Gaza Strip reached with mediators and trying to make last-minute concessions. 

"Hamas is reneging on agreement and creating a last-minute crisis that prevents an agreement from being reached. Hamas is abandoning the clear agreements reached with the mediators and with Israel in an attempt to exert pressure at the last minute," the statement said. 

Israel will not set a date for a meeting of the cabinet and government to approve the agreement until the mediators inform that Hamas has confirmed all its details, the statement added.

On Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas had agreed, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, to a 42-day ceasefire as part of the first stage of the agreement, which also includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages. The agreement will come into effect on January 19.