On the background of senior defense officials involved in hostage negotiations constantly being quoted as blaming Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for botching a deal and adding his own conditions, Channel 12 News revealed surprising statements by Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, the IDF’s representative in the hostage deal negotiations.

In a meeting held this week with the hostages’ families, Alon, who in the past has repeatedly expressed opposition to Netanyahu’s approach to a deal, made it clear that Hamas is the one that is torpedoing a deal. “Hamas has not yet accepted the outline and is demanding additional conditions,” Alon said.

“Netanyahu requested to clarify some of the sections of the outline, including the transition to the north [of Gaza],” Alon added. “He did not deviate from the outline presented on May 27 and his demands are legitimate. I don’t necessarily agree with them but they are within the framework of the outline.”

On Motzei Shabbos, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying: ‘Hamas continues to demand the end of the war, the release of a tiny number of hostages, the ability to flood Gaza with weapons, retake control of it, and repeat the horrors of October 7.”

‘The Prime Minister is ready to go a long way to release the hostages while maintaining Israel’s security. The Prime Minister has not added anything to the May 27th outline and continues to adhere to the basic conditions for Israel’s security per that outline: maximizing the number of living hostages released in the first stage and leaving leverage for the release of  the rest, control of the Philadelphi Corridor, and preventing the passage of terrorists and weapons to the north of the Gaza Strip.’

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)