Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, addressing the hostage deal with the Hamas terrorist organization and accusations that the government is deliberately obstructing an agreement for political gain.
"We accepted the deal. Hamas is the one that refused," Netanyahu said, speaking publicly for the first time since returning from Washington.
עדכון חשוב ממני אליכם. צפו >> pic.twitter.com/TSfIW7Rhq4
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 13, 2025
"It was a very successful visit to Washington, following a major victory over Iran," the prime minister said in the video, emphasizing that there were many opportunities and objectives. "I am determined to accomplish them all."
He accused the media of "echoing Hamas propaganda," calling it mistaken. According to Netanyahu, Israel agreed to the deal proposed by Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, but Hamas rejected it.
"Hamas wants to stay in Gaza. It wants us to leave, it wants to remain in power and attack us again and again. But that won't happen. I won't let it happen. I'll do everything to bring our hostages home," Netanyahu said. He added that he had met with the families of the hostages. "I understand their pain and suffering. I am determined to bring the hostages home and to eliminate Hamas."
Addressing polls that show broad public support among Israelis for a hostage deal, Netanyahu said, "Sure, I also support a deal, but they're not telling you the other side of the story." He claimed that the polls are "engineered" and do not present the full picture.
"The majority of the public supports a deal? So do I. But these are biased polls. A deal to release hostages that leaves Hamas in place? Hamas in power means more kidnappings, more invasions, more murder and rape? That's completely manipulated. We have to do the right thing - insist on the release of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. That's what I'm doing, and I will not give up either of those goals."
In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused the prime minister of misleading the public. "Here comes the sabotage again. The prime minister is once again trying to create a false impression that a comprehensive deal is unattainable, which is completely contrary to the will of the people," they said.
"Unfortunately, we've seen this movie before, more than once. The government continues to fail, time and again, to bring the hostages home because of narrow political interests, hiding behind empty slogans and baseless illusions."
"The simple fact is: more than 80 percent of the public wants a deal that would end the fighting and bring all the hostages home. Whoever torpedoes such a deal is deliberately acting against the will of the Israeli people for political survival, and that is how history will remember him."
