Palestinian Territories

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Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday (Sept 5) urged the United States (US) to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a ceasefire agreement in the ongoing Gaza war that started on October 7 last year. 

The two sides have traded blame over stalling talks for a ceasefire and hostage exchange as Netanyahu faces pressure to seal a deal following the deaths of six Gaza captives.

Also read | Gaza war: Israel PM Netanyahu declares ‘no deal in making’ with Hamas, rubbishes media reports

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A report by the news agency AFP early Friday said that Hamas's Qatar-based lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya called on the US to "exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government" and "abandon their blind bias" towards Israel.

'No deal in making'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there was no ceasefire deal in the making. Speaking to American media, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "Unfortunately, it's not close but we will do everything we can to get them to the point where they do make a deal."

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He insisted that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas.

Hamas, meanwhile, was demanding complete Israeli withdrawal from the area and on Thursday said Netanyahu's position "aims to thwart reaching an agreement."

'Warn against falling into trap of Netanyahu...'

Hamas also said that a new agreement was unnecessary because it agreed months ago to a truce outlined by Biden. "We warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu... who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement.

AFP reported that at Israeli protests in several cities this week, Netanyahu's critics have blamed him for hostages' deaths, saying he has refused to make necessary concessions for striking a ceasefire deal.

Key mediator Qatar has said that Israel's approach was "based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies."

(With inputs from agencies)