Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying that his policies regarding continued military actions in Gaza were responsible for getting Hamas to agree to return to the negotiating table fora deal on the release of the Israelis that the terrorist organization holds hostage in Gaza. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, “The Prime Minister’s steadfast position against the attempt to halt IDF (Israel Defence Forces) action in Rafah is what has led Hamas to enter negotiations.”

“The Prime Minister is continuing to insist on the principles that have already been agreed to by Israel,” added the PMO, listing these as follows: Any deal will allow Israel to resume fighting until all of objectives of the war have been achieved. There will be no smuggling of weapons to Hamas from Egypt to the Gaza border. There will be no return of thousands of armed terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip.