The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office released an official statement in the early hours of Thursday, revealing details about a tense development in the ongoing negotiations with Hamas.

According to the statement, “Prime Minister Netanyahu held a conference call a short while ago with the negotiation team in Doha, who reported to him on last-minute attempts by Hamas to backtrack from the understandings of May 27.”

Israeli officials involved in the discussions expressed frustration at what they characterized as an eleventh-hour shift in Hamas’s approach.

The statement highlighted a specific issue, stating, “Among other things – contrary to a specific clause that grants Israel the veto power over the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terrorism, Hamas is demanding to dictate the identities of these terrorists.”

This demand represents a significant deviation from the terms previously agreed upon and is seen as a serious challenge to the delicate negotiations.

The Prime Minister’s directive to the team in Doha was unequivocal. As noted in the statement, “The Prime Minister instructed the negotiation team to stand firm on the agreed-upon understandings and to reject outright Hamas’s last-minute attempts at extortion.”

Negotiators had reportedly worked tirelessly to ensure that Hamas adhered to the May 27 framework, which included stringent clauses to prevent the release of those deemed to be high-risk threats.

{Matzav.com Israel}