Hamas reiterates readiness for a full deal; Katz decries statement as empty words - Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff, Reuters

 

by Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff, Reuters

Defense Minister Israel Katz denounced the terror group's claims as "empty words," adding that it must choose between accepting Israel's terms or increased IDF activity in the Gaza Strip.

 

An illustrative photo of Hamas terrorists with hostage demonstrations in the background.

(photo credit: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images, Reuters/Hatem Khaled)

 

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday denounced Hamas's reiteration of its claim of readiness for a comprehensive deal involving the release of hostages in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.

"Hamas continues to deceive and issue empty words, but it will soon understand that it must choose between two options," Katz said.

"Accepting Israel’s conditions to end the war, first and foremost, the release of all hostages and disarmament, or Gaza City will become like Rafah and Beit Hanon. The IDF is fully prepared," he added.

This follows the terror group reiterating its claims that it is ready for a comprehensive Gaza deal through which all Israeli hostages are released in exchange for the release of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, the terror group announced on Wednesday evening.

The group's remarks come shortly after US President Donald Trump called on Hamas to release all 20 living hostages.

Hostage deal protests in Jerusalem, September 3, 2025. (credit: Ayelet Enisman)

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said, "The Israeli government does not have to accept Hamas's conditions, it does have to return to negotiations immediately and try to close a deal. It is impossible not to even try to bring our hostages home."

The future of the Gaza Strip

The Prime Minister's office said in response that Hamas's statement was another attempt to "spin" the situation and reasserted that the war wouldn't end without the release of all hostages, the disarmament of the terror group, the establishment of a civilian-led government in the Palestinian enclave and Israeli security control in Gaza.

Palestinian-American Bishara Bahbah, who us involved in the hostage deal negotiations, said in an interview with Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabiya channel: "I reached out to Hamas with a proposal for the release of all hostages and shared it with them prior to President Trump's most recent tweet. Hamas questioned the proposal's credibility. Israelis believe that Netanyahu will not agree to any deal without significant US pressure."

This is a developing story.

Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff, Reuters

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866263

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