PM’s office claims Hamas creating last-minute ‘crisis’ and backing out of some agreements, delaying cabinet vote

The Prime Minister’s Office claims Hamas has backed out of some agreements and is creating a last-minute “crisis” in finalizing the hostage release deal.

“Hamas is reneging on the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement,” the PMO says in a statement, issuing it in both English and Hebrew.

“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”

Overnight the PMO said the purported dispute was related to the identity of Palestinian security prisoners slated for release. It said Hamas was “demanding to dictate the identity of these murderers,” contradicting agreed-upon terms.

A leaked version of the deal said prisoners would be released “based on lists agreed upon by both sides.”

Last night, the prime minister of Qatar as well as both US President Joe Biden and US President-elect Donald Trump announced that a deal had been reached, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to insist that the final deal has not been inked and some outstanding details remain.