Opposition leaders accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging ceasefire negotiations with Hamas

Opposition leaders accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging ceasefire negotiations with Hamas

The political opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have accused him of sabotaging talks to reach a captive-prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, a former prime minister and leader of the Yesh Atid party, said the government has imposed new conditions.

“We have nothing left to achieve in Gaza; we need to start preparing for the day after the war and bring back 100 hostages,” he told the public broadcaster Kan.

“Once the war ends, we can return to Gaza and do what we need to do,” he said. “Now, we need to stop the war and finalize a deal to bring all the hostages back.”

Lapid said Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza, does not want to end the war, fearing that it would lead to his cabinet’s collapse.

Avigdor Lieberman, a former war minister and leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, also criticized Netanyahu. He told the Maariv newspaper “the deal can be done”.

source: tehrantimes.com