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Prime Minister Netanyahu Blames Hamas for Failure to Reach Hostage Deal
(Times of Israel) Sam Sokol - After the IDF announced the recovery of the bodies of six hostages from Hamas tunnels in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement saying, "Along with all the citizens of Israel, I was shocked to the depths of my soul by the terrible coldblooded murder of six of our abductees....I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our abductees and I say to their leaders - you have forfeited your lives....The fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities like the ones it committed on Oct. 7 requires us to do everything so that it cannot commit these atrocities again." "Since December, Hamas refuses to conduct real negotiations. Three months ago, on May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal with the full backing of the U.S. Hamas refused. Even after the U.S. updated the outline of the deal on August 16, we agreed, and Hamas again refused. While Israel is conducting intensive negotiations with the mediators in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to firmly refuse any offer. Worse than that, at that very moment it murdered six of our hostages. He who murders hostages does not want a deal."