Hostage mother accuses PM of ‘systematically thwarting’ deal, urges US pressure

The mother of hostage Matan Zangauker calls on US mediators to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas, accusing the premier of holding up an agreement for personal and political motives.

“It appears this is the last chance,” says Einav Zangauker during her weekly press conference outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, referring to the negotiations in Cairo.

Zangauker decries “the new conditions that Netanyahu has pushed,” particularly regarding the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border.

“This isn’t the Philadelphi Corridor, it’s the Philadelphi spin,” she says.

She then addresses her remarks to US President Joe Biden.

“Netanyahu is systematically thwarting the deal. Don’t believe Netanyahu. He will again lie and deceive you. He will tell you will do one thing and then run to do the opposite,” she says.