Israeli hostage families accuse Netanyahu of blocking hostage deal

New Delhi, Sep 14: Families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being the "one obstacle" to their release and to reaching a ceasefire agreement.

In a statement posted on social media, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Israel’s strike in Qatar last week showed that “every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it.”

According to the BBC, Israel targeted senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday, killing five members of the group and a Qatari security officer.

Hamas said its officials had been meeting there to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal.

Netanyahu defended the attack, saying it removed “the main obstacle” to freeing hostages and ending the war, and accused Hamas of blocking all ceasefire attempts.

But hostage families dismissed his comments as “the latest excuse,” adding: “The time has come to end the excuses designed to buy time so he can cling to power.”

The families’ criticism comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Israel amid widespread condemnation of the Doha strike.

Qatar, a key American ally that hosts a major US air base, denounced the operation as a “flagrant violation of international law.”

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified air strikes on Gaza City, warning residents to evacuate ahead of an expected ground offensive.