Israeli hostage families accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging deal with high-level negotiations

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Israeli hostage families accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a potential deal to secure the release of captives following high-level negotiations in Cairo.

In a press conference in Tel Aviv, the families claimed, "There is a deal on the table, and Netanyahu is intentionally sabotaging it. Because of him, the hostages continue to suffer and die in captivity. He is choosing to escalate rather than finalize a deal that could save lives and prevent further escalation."

The families also asserted that "senior negotiators have stated that the only person opposing the deal for personal reasons is Netanyahu, while the majority of the government supports the agreement."

They urged for the deal to be presented to the government, stressing, "The public wants the hostages home, and it has the right to know why they have not been returned after nearly ten months."

An Israeli delegation recently returned to Cairo aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages, according to Israeli media reports.

The "Walla" news site reported, citing sources familiar with the details, that Israeli Intelligence Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, and Government Coordinator for the Palestinian Territories Ghassan Alyan were set to meet with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel and senior military officials.

The talks will focus on hostage release and security issues related to the Egypt-Gaza border.

Negotiations are expected to resume for the first time since the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran on Wednesday morning, which Iran attributed to Israel.

Israel has declined to comment on its involvement in the strike in Iran.