Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of failing a potential ceasefire agreement following the discovery of the bodies of six hostages in a Hamas tunnel in the Gaza Strip, local media reported on Sunday.
In a video statement posted on X, Netanyahu condemned the terrorist group for refusing to negotiate and vowed to hold them accountable.
He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and praised the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security service for their efforts in attempting to rescue the hostages, The Times of Israel reported.
“Whoever murdered our abductees — does not want a deal,” Netanyahu captioned the post, adding, “We will hunt and get them, and we will come to an account with them.”
“We will not rest, and we will not be silent,” the Israeli Prime Minister asserted.
“We will pursue you, we will catch up with you, and we will settle accounts with you.”
Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s commitment to freeing the remaining hostages held by Hamas and criticised the group for its continued refusal to engage in “real negotiations”.
He noted that Israel had agreed to a hostage release deal on May 27, 2023, with the support of the US, but Hamas rejected the proposal.
An updated deal on August 16 was also turned down by the group.
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced the recovery of the bodies of six hostages, including two women, from a tunnel in Rafah, Gaza.
The victims were identified as Hersh Goldberg, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alex Lubnov, and Ori Danino, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The discovery of the bodies has sparked widespread protests across Israel, with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum calling for demonstrations against the government on Sunday.
The situation remains tense as Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages, according to the IDF.
Netanyahu warned that Hamas’s actions on October 7 when militants stormed Israel and killed 1,200 people while taking 251 hostages, highlight the ongoing threat the group poses.
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