Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed doubt on Thursday evening that Israel and Hamas would reach a deal to pause fighting in Gaza and release hostages, accusing the terror group of failing to make a good faith effort at compromise.

“We face a brick wall of delusional, unrealistic Hamas demands,” Netanyahu said in a press conference at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. “The terrorist group knows its demands are delusional and is not even trying to move close to an area of agreement. That’s the situation.”

Netanyahu tempered expectations for a deal raised by US President Joe Biden earlier in the week, saying, “We continue to act, continue to hope, but I can’t make a promise at this moment” that a deal will be done.

Israel and Hamas have delegations in Qatar attempting to hammer out a potential 40-day truce, but both sides have acknowledged a significant gap remains between them. Qatari mediators have also said there is no breakthrough yet.

Netanyahu pledged to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza, “with or without a framework,” and demanded to see the names of all hostages to be released before agreeing to a hostage deal.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh claimed on Wednesday that the group was showing flexibility in negotiations with Israel, while also expressing readiness to continue fighting.

The terms of the proposed deal, which includes a six-week pause in fighting and the release of some 40 hostages in exchange for 400 Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel, appear to be far from agreed upon by both sides.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)