PM aide rejects claim that Ben Gvir thwarted hostage releases, says Hamas is only reason for no deal

After National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed earlier today that he and fellow far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich had succeeded multiple times in torpedoing potential hostage deal, cabinet secretary Yossi Fuchs tweets a denial.

There has still been no official word from Netanyahu in response to Ben Gvir. Earlier today, his office instead issued a statement it attributed to an “Israeli official,” rejecting Ben Gvir’s claims, which have sparked massive uproar among the hostages’ families. Netanyahu’s office has long rejected mounting reports that political considerations and his desire to remain in power led him to hamper hostage talks over the last year.

Picking up where the “Israeli official” left off, Fuchs tweets that the deal being finalized is the same as the one Israel submitted on May 27.

Fuchs claims Hamas rejected that proposal for six months and still has yet to give its final approval.

The Netanyahu aide argues that if Hamas had responded positively to the May 27 proposal at any point over the past six months, it would have passed with a majority in the security cabinet and the broader cabinet. “I know this for a fact,” Fuchs writes.

He insists that Netanyahu has not changed any of his positions on the matter and that the only side thwarting a deal to date has been Hamas.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators, US officials, and even members of Israel’s hostage negotiation team have disputed this account, saying Netanyahu, at times, has been the main obstacle to a deal.

Most Popular