Israeli premier says no 'real response' from Hamas on prisoner exchange deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Thursday that his government has not yet received a "real response" from Hamas regarding a prisoner exchange deal.

"Until this moment, we have not received a real response from Hamas regarding a prisoner exchange deal that includes your sons," Netanyahu addressed the families of hostages held in Gaza at the Ministry of Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv.

"What has actually changed is the Qatari pressure on Hamas, which I have been pushing," he claimed.

There has been no comment from Doha on Netanyahu's claims.

Last week, talks in Cairo did not yield any tangible results toward reaching an agreement for a prisoner exchange within the framework of a temporary cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Hamas blamed Israel for the lack of progress in the indirect negotiations, citing Tel Aviv's refusal to provide guarantees to end the war in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.

At least 31,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 73,134 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 27 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.