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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday (Sep 5) that there was “not a deal in the making” with Palestinian militant group Hamas. Talking with US news broadcaster Fox News, he said, “Unfortunately, it’s not close.” He also dismissed Americanmedia reports that earlier claimed that a Gaza peace agreement was 90 per cent completed.

“It’s exactly inaccurate. There’s a story, a narrative out there, that there’s a deal out there,” he said.

Netanyahu blamesHamas for the collapse, saying it was not agreeing to “anything”. “Not to the Philadelphi Corridor, not to the keys of exchanging hostages for jailed terrorists, not to anything. So that’s just a false narrative,” he said.

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The clarification from the Jewish leader comes amidst allegations that he obstructed a peace deal with Hamas for political gains.

“The obstacle to the end of this war is Hamas. The obstacle to the release of hostages is Hamas. The ones who butchered in a sling, murdering six people in cold blood, riddling them with bullets and then firing bullets into their heads is Hamas. It’s not Israel. It’s not me,” the Israeli PMsaid.

Earlier, Hamas had accused Netanyahu of thwarting the peace agreement by insisting that the Israel Defense Forces(IDF)would not withdraw forces from the Philadelphi corridor.

“We warn against falling into Netanyahu’s trap and tricks, as he uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people,” the Hamas statement said. The group also claimed it had accepted a proposal put forward by the United States on July 2.

Israeli strike kills six in West Bank

Meanwhile, an Israeli strike in the West Bank killed at least six people on Thursday, Palestinian health officials claimed.

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This comes in a series of attacks that the IDF has carried out over the past week, stating it was “dismantling militant groups and preventing attacks.”

The strike targeted the northern West Bank town of Tubas. Among those killed was the son of a well-known militant commander named Zakaria Zubeidi.

(With inputs from agencies)