In an official statement issued Sunday, the movement confirmed that it had agreed to a partial prisoner exchange deal and expressed its willingness to pursue a comprehensive agreement. However, it accused Netanyahu of continually placing new obstacles, despite its agreement to the proposal presented by mediators on August 18, without revealing any details.
Hamas noted that Netanyahu's announcement to accelerate the implementation of the plan to occupy Gaza City, following the movement's acceptance of the mediators' initiative, demonstrates his determination to obstruct any potential agreement.
The statement added that Netanyahu ignored mediators' efforts while awaiting Tel Aviv's response to the ceasefire proposal, and announced the implementation of the plan, which was approved on August 8, amid international warnings of its disastrous consequences for the population of the Gaza Strip.
The movement cited Israeli and American statements, which it said confirmed Netanyahu's responsibility for the failure of the ceasefire efforts and prisoner exchange deals.
She drew attention to statements by former US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in which he indicated that Netanyahu was stalling and proposing new conditions whenever the two sides came close to reaching an agreement.
Miller revealed, in an interview with Israel's Channel 13, that Netanyahu informed Washington of his intention to continue the war "for decades to come," despite warnings from then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the absence of a clear plan for the future of Gaza.
Miller also confirmed reports that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have blocked at least five attempts to reach a prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas.
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The movement reiterated its assertion that a ceasefire agreement is the only path to resolving the prisoners' issue, warning that Netanyahu bears full responsibility for the fate of the detainees.
She considered that nearly 22 months of war have proven the falsehood of the "absolute victory" promoted by Netanyahu and some of his ministers, calling for continued official and popular pressure to halt what she described as "genocide and starvation" against the Palestinian people.
In a related development, the families of Israeli prisoners held by Hamas expressed their dissatisfaction with the Israeli government's position, accusing Netanyahu of devising new methods to obstruct the exchange deal instead of pushing it forward.
Israel estimates that the number of its prisoners in the Gaza Strip is approximately 50, including 20 living prisoners. Israel also holds more than 10,800 Palestinians, with human rights reports alleging that a number of them have been subjected to torture and medical neglect.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The Israeli genocide left 62,686 Palestinians dead, 157,951 wounded, most of them children and women, more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that killed 289 Palestinians, including 115 children, as of Sunday.
