Turin, 13 July (LaPresse) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to accusations that he and his government are obstructing a truce agreement in Gaza. The media ‘always repeat Hamas propaganda, and they are always wrong,’ he said in a video posted on X. ‘We accepted the agreement, the framework proposed by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and subsequently the modified version suggested by the mediators. We accepted it, Hamas rejected it,’ he explained, referring to the latest proposals discussed in Doha. "What does Hamas want? It wants to stay in Gaza. It wants us to leave so it can rearm and attack us again and again. I will not accept this. I will do everything possible to bring our hostages home. I meet with the families, I know the difficulties they are facing, their suffering. I am determined to bring the hostages home." When asked about polls showing that the majority of Israelis are in favour of an agreement, Netanyahu replied: "I am also in favour of an agreement, but the questionnaires do not tell you the other side of the story. These are manipulated polls that always mislead the public. They do not ask: do you want an agreement for the release of the hostages that leaves Hamas in place? So that it can repeat rapes, murders, kidnappings and invasions? No. Otherwise, the results would be completely opposite.‘ The Israeli prime minister reiterated that ’we must insist on the release of the hostages, and also on the other objective of the war in Gaza: the destruction of Hamas and the guarantee that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel. This is what I am doing. I am not giving up on any of these objectives."
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