Nigeria was last week swept up in a wave of emotions as a video emerged in South Africa of President Bola Tinubu appearing to be on the receiving end of an embarrassing snub by the South Africa leader at his inauguration.

But Nigerians who are looking at that video are at the wrong political campaign venue. They should be studying videos of how Tinubu views them.

According to Sahara Reporters, Tinubu arrived in Pretoria on a private jet belonging to Gilbert Chagoury, his business partner and a man whose Hitech Construction Company he has trusted with the controversial N15 trillion, 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. The Nigeria leader’s son, Seyi Tinubu, sits on the board of Hitech.

Clearly, the concept of conflict of interest, or crossed wires, means nothing to the Tinubus. In the past 10 years, the party to which they belong, the APC, has sworn to eliminate the expensive presidential fleet of about 10 jets.

But populism is different, and Muhammadu Buhari, the champion of the political boast, could not find the character to implement his claims. He settled into the presidential fleet for eight years, and was known to give some of the jets to members of the family who had private errands to run.

All the jets were available and running smoothly when Buhari was in power. Since Tinubu assumed office, however, various reports have suggested that some of the favourite jets were developing maintenance “issues.”

And then, just days before he was due to jet off to Pretoria in a Chagoury jet, the National Assembly set in motion a process to purchase new jets for him and for and Vice-President Kashim Shettima. On June 13, the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence authorized the government to “immediately” buy new aircraft for the two officials.

Only two days later, the House’s counterpart committee on the Senate, speaking through a man who was away in Saudi Arabia performing the Hajj, threw its support behind the fait accompli, which had clearly come from the executive itself.

The matter was reminiscent of the vexed issue of the national anthem last month, with the legislature taking just a matter of days to grant approval to the old anthem becoming the new.  It emerged that two years ago, Tinubu had disclosed that he if got the chance, he would bring back the old anthem.

He got his wish. And now it seems he will get his new jets as well: only one week after the House gave its approval, the government reportedly put three jets in the presidential fleet up for sale.

The mass media is often quick to fall for such news bulletins when the government distributes them. They disburse them lavishly on the front pages and the top of the broadcasts, only to fail to follow up the story.  In this case, we’ll almost certainly never find out who buys these three “ageing” jets, let alone for how much.

But the media will help to receive and gloat over the new jets that are being acquired not simply despite Nigeria’s mounting economic crisis, but indeed to escalate it.

My view is that Nigerians should pay less attention to Tinubu’s South African tour and far more to his invasion of Nigeria because this is the real nightmare. If they are buying those jets without publishing an investigation of the maintenance profile of the presidential fleet, somebody is playing a game.

What we have is a government which preaches sacrifice but taunts the people by squandering resources.  It is a government which came to spend, not to serve, and the evidence is significant that lacks the commitment to uplift the Nigerian people.

It is widely known, for instance, that Tinubu loves large, exuberant convoys.  They feature glittering, top-of-the-line SUVs at a time when petrol costs are extremely high.  He appears determined to make Nigerians feel the pain of his tenure: to watch him enjoy his best life at a time he is calling on them to sacrifice for the greater good. There is no deeper hypocrisy.

The first question is why he needs new vehicles, given the barely-used pool he inherited from his predecessor. The second is why he is insensitive to the cost of maintaining and fueling the fleets.

According to available data of the federal government, on the 22nd of June 2023, three weeks after assuming office and in a continuing pattern for State House, Abuja, the government paid:

₦212,712,766.59 for the “purchase of vehicles;”

₦161,250,000.00 for the “supply of five Nissan urvan bus high roof mt;”

₦61,275,000.00 for the “purchase of vehicles.”

At the end of May 2024, it paid:

₦1,200,000,000.00 for the supply of new vehicles to State House, Abuja, and

₦200,000,000.00 to buy SUVs. (Notice just how round those numbers strangely are), and

On June 7, 2024, ₦191,497,674.41 for three Toyota Prado 4-cylinder SUVs.

Nigerians would recall that in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation, Mr. Tinubu wanted N3bn to renovate into “State House complexes,” two luxury properties that had been forfeited to the EFCC in the Guzape and Mabushi areas of the FCT. Nigerians widely criticized the proposal.

The new data reveals, however, that as of May 31, he had got his wish:

₦1,354,258,408.58 has been paid for the “acquisition, renovation and rehabilitation” of the property at Guzape;

₦773,423,288.50 for the “acquisition, renovation and rehabilitation of 2 nos EFCC forfeited quarters;” (presumably Mabushi), and

₦1,877,305,494.92 for the “renovation of residential quarters for mr president.”

Similarly:

₦752,236,350.10 was spent on the “renovation of Dodan Barracks-official residence of mr president;” and

₦3,500,000,000.00 was paid to construct an office complex within State House, Abuja.

Anyone who is interested may further examine this database for various curiosities, such as parallel supplies, or new constructions of aspects of the State House Medical Center, a N21bn ($45m) “world class” facility that the preceding government completed, equipped and inaugurated with great fanfare just days before its departure in May 2023.

I find fascinating, the repeated investments in motor vehicle tires, for instance, along with relentless and separate supplies of diesel not just to State House, but separately, to the Medical Centre.

Finally, the presidential jets.  According to the government’s data cited in this story, the existing fleet shows over N18bn in maintenance costs in the one year between July 2023 and June 2024, even as a clear pattern emerged of the determination of leaders of the administration to focus on themselves. Buhari was incompetent, shallow and weak, but even he hesitated at conspicuous consumption of the market square kind.

Because of the track record Tinubu has established in the past year, I fully expect Tinubu to get his jets—and more—no matter the optics or what it means for the Nigerian economy.

No, it is not what the South African president, or any other world leader, thinks of our Tinubu. It is what Tinubu thinks of his people and where he hopes to leave them after eight years in control that is his dream.

Think of the Tinubu Bus Stop on the global poverty highway.

Harvard Business School professor Joseph Fuller has spent the better part of a decade studying — and working with — some of the world’s most successful people, from Fortune 500 executives to Nobel Prize laureates. 

What sets high achievers apart from everyone else, Fuller has discovered, isn’t their confidence or business acumen — it’s their adaptability.

“They’re not wedded to some predetermined career path that they set when they were a student or starting their first job,” he tells CNBC Make It. “They’re open to unexpected opportunities and embrace change instead of fearing it.”

It’s great to set career goals and create timelines for achieving them. The danger, Fuller says, is leaning so hard into your preferences that you become closed off to a sudden detour or nonlinear path.

For example: You might turn down a job at a small startup that excites you and pays well because you always planned to work for a large, well-known company. 

Or, you might be tempted to look for a new job — even if you’re content in your current role — because you’re not getting promoted as quickly as you thought you would. 

In both cases, “you’re ignoring what motivates or interests you, and instead letting rigid expectations guide your career,” says Fuller. “That type of stubborn mentality won’t take you far.”

If you fixate on a specific career path, you risk overlooking other fulfilling options for your professional life, Fuller adds. 

A skill that’s in high demand but ‘rare to find’

Adaptability is a soft skill that’s “increasingly in demand” across a wide range of industries, according to recent research from LinkedIn. 

The need for flexible, resilient employees in the workplace, LinkedIn found, is the direct result of changes to the post-pandemic workforce: the rise of AI, the widespread adoption of remote and hybrid work as well as five generations, each with different communication styles and workplace jargon, now working together.

Employers want to hire people who can quickly adjust to these ongoing changes, says LinkedIn vice president Aneesh Raman. “Adaptability is the best way to have agency right now,” he notes in the report. “At the core of managing change is building that muscle of adaptability.”

And yet, “it’s a skill that can be rare to find,” says Fuller. “People are afraid to try new things and fail. But you can’t grow without moving beyond your comfort zone.”

CNBC

Two Nigerian properties located in the United Kingdom are on the verge of being taken over by a Chinese investor following an order granting the investor the right to enforce a $70 million investment treaty award against Nigeria.

The investor, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, was granted final charging orders over two UK residential properties owned by the Nigerian government after the company also attached a £20 million debt relating to the high-profile P&ID case.

The Chinese firm secured this order on June 14 when Master Sullivan in the Commercial Court in London granted the orders in respect of two Liverpool properties estimated to be worth a combined £1.7 million.
According to the judge, the order was premised on the fact that the properties have been converted to commercial use outside Nigeria’s diplomatic or consular activities in the UK, stressing that enforcement of the order should prevail.

The high profile case was a gritty legal battle between Zhongshan represented before the court by Withers and barristers at 3VB, while Nigeria was represented by Squire Patton Boggs and a barrister at Atkin Chambers.

Sources said the underlying arbitration was in relation to a joint venture with Nigeria’s Ogun State to establish a free trade zone near Lagos in 2013. A Zhongshan subsidiary held a 60% stake in the project but Ogun terminated its participation three years later.

In 2021, a London-seated UNCITRAL tribunal chaired by Lord Neuberger including Matthew Gearing KC and Rotimi Oguneso SAN said Nigeria was guilty of expropriation and other breaches of the China-Nigeria bilateral investment treaty and ordered the country to to pay US$55.6 million plus interest and costs.

Nigeria in the same year put a challenge against the award in the Commercial Court on jurisdictional grounds. Nigeria’s position was that the arbitration clause in the BIT was invalid. But in later development, Nigeria withdrew the challenge before a hearing on Zhongshan’s application for security and security for costs was about to take place.

Mrs Justice Cockerill in the same court granted Zhongshan an ex parte enforcement order in December 2021, but Nigeria did not file againt this order within the 74-day deadline allowed by the law.
In July 2023, the Court of Appeal in London stopped Nigeria from bringing a late challenge to the enforcement order, stressing Cockerill’s provisional determination that state immunity did not apply had become final.

The investor reportedly got interim charging orders in June and August last year over the two properties in Liverpool, which are owned by the Nigerian government.
Nigeria’s efforts to dismiss these charging orders failed as Master Sullivan in her judgement, held that the properties are leased to residential tenants and that no “consular activities are actually taking place on the premises”.

She also dismissed Nigeria’s arguments that it had not been properly served with the interim charging order applications under the State Immunity Act and that Zhongshan had failed to give full and frank disclosure when seeking them.

Master Sullivan also dismissed Nigeria’s objection about parties bringing multiple enforcement action, saying that parties are “entitled to bring as many types of enforcement action as they see fit to recover their debt.” She noted that Nigeria had yet to pay any of the award and that the value of the properties represented a “small proportion of it”.

Timi Balogun of Squire Patton Boggs, counsel to Nigeria, said: “We respectfully disagree with the Master’s decision, which we believe somewhat brushes over complex public international law issues, including with respect to state immunity and the right of a foreign state’s High Commission to own and manage portfolios of fixed assets in England and Wales. We believe that such issues need to be weighed very carefully, and we intend to appeal this decision so that these complex and important issues can be considered by the higher courts.”

Zhongshan applied to enforce the award in Washington, DC in 2022. Last year, the DC district court rejected Nigeria’s motion to dismiss the action on sovereign immunity grounds. The state argued the China-Nigeria BIT was “quintessentially sovereign” and therefore the award did not arise from a commercial relationship between the parties. The DC district proceeding is stayed pending Nigeria’s appeal of the sovereign immunity decision.

Zhongshan has also taken enforcement measures in various other jurisdictions, including in Quebec, where it seeks conservatory seizure of a private jet; and in Belgium, where Nigeria is challenging attachments of properties.

In the British Virgin Islands, Zhongshan has obtained an interim attachment over a £20 million liability owed Nigeria by BVI-registered company Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) under an English Commercial Court ruling. The Chinese company withdrew an earlier application to attach the same liability in England.

The Commercial Court ordered P&ID to pay Nigeria £20 million in costs in December last year after upholding the state’s challenge to an US$11 billion award in favour of the company. Robin Knowles found the award was procured through false evidence, corrupt payments and improper retention of leaked documents.

At the time of filing this report yesterday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was yet to react to a message sent to it on this development.

Leadership

Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, the operators of Shoprite Mall, have announced that they will cease operations at their Wuse, Abuja branch on June 30, 2024.

The announcement was made in a circular signed by Chief Executive Officer Folakemi Fadahunsi. The company attributed the closure to the current business climate in the country, noting that the decision followed a thorough evaluation of the store’s financial performance.

Vendors have been informed that their services will no longer be required at the location. Shoprite also stated that it will review its financial records over the next 60 days to address any outstanding balances and set up a payment schedule.

“We regret to inform you that as of June 30, 2024, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited will be closing its Wuse Store located in Novare Wuse Central Mall, Abuja. This decision has been made after a thorough evaluation of the store’s financial situation and the current business climate. We believe this is the best course of action for our organization’s long-term growth,” the statement read.

“Effective June 30, 2024, our company will no longer operate in Wuse, Abuja, and we will no longer require your services for the Novare Wuse Central Mall Store. Please note that all existing service contracts will also terminate for the store.”

“If your services are specifically tied to the Novare Wuse Central Mall Store and if there is an outstanding balance between our companies, we will carefully review our accounting records over the next 60 days. We will then promptly contact you to confirm the amount owed and discuss a suitable payment schedule.”

Recent Business Closures in Nigeria

The closure of Shoprite's Abuja Mall is part of a growing trend of business closures across Nigeria due to challenging economic conditions. In recent years, several notable companies, including multinationals like GSK, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, and more recently Kimberly-Clark, have exited the country. These exits are often attributed to issues such as weak foreign exchange, high power costs, and reduced consumer purchasing power due to rising inflation.

In the past 18 months, inflation has surged from around 22% to the current 33.95%, a 28-year high driven mainly by food and transport costs. Additionally, the naira has depreciated by over 100% in the last year, falling from around N462/$ to approximately N1470/$, following efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria to unify the forex market and narrow the gap between official and parallel market rates.

Nearly 2,000 petrol outlets were shut in Nigeria's northeast to protest against an anti-smuggling operation that targeted some operators, the local head of the petroleum marketers association said on Monday, forcing motorists to buy from the black market.

Dahiru Buba, the chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for Adamawa and Taraba states, said petrol stations stopped operations after the Nigeria Customs Service impounded tanker trucks and shut some fuel outlets on suspicion they were smuggling petrol to neighbouring Cameroon.

Black market fuel vendors in Cameroon, Benin and Togo have for years relied on cheap gasoline smuggled from Nigeria.

When Nigeria scrapped a petrol subsidy last year, that black market trade collapsed, but the product has become cheaper again after Nigeria capped the price since June 2023 despite its currency sharply weakening.

Under "Operation Whirlwind", Customs initially impounded some tanker trucks belonging to IPMAN members and released them after the association protested. But more trucks were seized and several fuel stations were shut, forcing fuel station operators to close outlets en-masse in protest, said Buba.

"We wrote to them (Nigeria Customs) again but there were no responses that is why we decided to go on strike," he said, adding that over 1,800 outlets had ceased to operate.

"This is our business and we cannot be quiet when our members are treated this way."

Mangsi Lazarus, Customs spokesperson for Adamawa and Taraba said tanker trucks were seized because they were being used to smuggle petrol.

In Adamawa capital Yola, black market traders quickly took advantage of the shortages to sell petrol for 1,400 naira ($0.9459) a litre, compared to between 650 and 750 naira at the pump.

($1 = 1,480.0000 naira)

Reuters

The recent allegations made by Dangote Refinery against International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Nigerian government demand serious attention. As Nigeria's first private refinery of its magnitude and a potential game-changer for the country's petroleum sector, Dangote's concerns should not be taken lightly.

For decades, Nigeria has grappled with a paradoxical situation: being a major oil producer yet heavily dependent on imported refined products. This has drained the nation's foreign exchange reserves and stunted economic growth. The successful operation of Dangote Refinery could mark a turning point, potentially ending this cycle of dependence and creating substantial economic benefits.

The accusations leveled by Devakumar Edwin, vice-president of oil and gas at Dangote Industries Limited, are troubling. Claims that IOCs are deliberately inflating crude oil prices for the refinery and that regulatory bodies are issuing import licenses for substandard products merit thorough investigation. If true, these practices not only threaten the viability of the Dangote Refinery but also undermine Nigeria's broader economic interests.

The government must act swiftly to address these issues. Ensuring fair access to local crude oil for domestic refineries should be a priority. Similarly, regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) must be held accountable for their licensing practices, particularly concerning the importation of potentially harmful petroleum products.

However, while supporting Dangote Refinery is crucial, it's equally important to maintain a balanced perspective. Aliko Dangote, the driving force behind this project, has faced criticism in the past for leveraging government concessions and support to dominate markets, sometimes at the expense of fair competition. As we rally behind this vital infrastructure project, we must also call for ethical business practices that foster a competitive and diverse economic landscape.

The government should strive to create an environment where the Dangote Refinery can thrive without resorting to monopolistic practices or undue advantages. This means implementing transparent policies, ensuring fair access to resources for all players in the sector, and maintaining rigorous oversight to prevent market manipulation.

In conclusion, the success of Dangote Refinery is undoubtedly in Nigeria's national interest. The government must take decisive action to address the concerns raised and provide the necessary support for its operation. Simultaneously, all stakeholders, including Dangote Group, must commit to fair competition and ethical business practices. Only through this balanced approach can Nigeria truly harness the full potential of its oil sector, create a thriving domestic refining industry, and pave the way for sustainable economic growth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Muhammad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, says it will take decades for the north-west to be free from the menacing security challenge.

The Sultan spoke in Katsina on Monday at the ‘Inaugural north west peace and security summit’.

“What we must do is challenge these bandits because we all know the consequences of banditry and insurgency on our lives,” the Sultan said.

“But it will take decades to get out of it if at all we get out of it. We all know the consequences and the problems.

The monarch expressed the readiness of traditional rulers in the region to collaborate with security agencies and northern governors to combat banditry and insurgency.

“I believe that at the end of the summit, proposals to bring insurgency to the barest minimum for people to go about their lives and businesses would be arrived at.”

The event was attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, governors of the seven states in the north-west geopolitical zone, service chiefs, and Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector general of police (IGP).

On February 14, the Sultan said insecurity and poverty were the major issues causing trouble for the people of the north.

He said traditional rulers owe it a duty to Nigerians, who believe in the traditional institution, to bring solutions to the various problems facing the country.

The Cable

Some suspected bandits have killed the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State, Yusuf Saidu.

This was revealed in a post shared by a senior staff of the university, Mohammed Sajo, on his social media handle on Monday.

Sajo said, “He was attacked and killed by the suspected Bandits today (Monday) on his way to Kaduna from Sokoto State.

“May Allah accept his soul and forgive his sin.

“A man of integrity, religion, dedication and courage,” the post added.

Saidu of Biochemistry, until his death, was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research Innovation and Development Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto.

When our correspondent contacted the Police Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police, Sokoto State Command, Ahmed Rufai, he said the incident happened in Zamfara State, not Sokoto.

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Zamfara State Police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, were not successful as the PPRO did not respond to his phone call and text messages sent to his phone at the time of publication.

Punch

Boko Haram insurgents have abducted Haruna Mshelia, a High Court judge, alongside his wife, driver and police orderly.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Monday afternoon along the Buratai-Buni-gari road as Mshelia was returning to Maiduguri, where he serves at the Borno State High Court.

Sources reveal that the judge’s vehicle was intercepted by armed men who emerged from the bush, and then barricaded the road.

One of the sources said despite an attempt to manoeuvre and escape, the vehicle was stopped by another group of insurgents. “The abductees were subsequently taken into the Sambisa Forest,” he said.

This road is currently the only link between the southern part of Borno and other parts of the state.

Such incidents are unfortunately common in the area, with the most recent attack before this involving a Boko Haram ambush on military vehicles, resulting in the death of a lieutenant and injuries to other soldiers. The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of Mshelia, his wife, police orderly and driver.

The police spokesman, Nahum Daso, stated that they received a report from Sani Audu through the Divisional Officer of Biu about the abduction which occurred on June 21, 2024, at about 9am along Biu-Maiduguri Road, specifically at Jiba town.

He said despite no contact with the terrorists yet, the police are implementing all necessary security measures to ensure the successful rescue of the kidnapped individuals.

Netanyahu says he won't agree to a deal that ends the war in Gaza, testing the latest truce proposal

The viability of a U.S.-backed proposal to wind down the 8-month-long war in Gaza has been cast into doubt after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would only be willing to agree to a “partial” cease-fire deal that would not end the war, comments that sparked an uproar from families of hostages held by Hamas.

In an interview broadcast late Sunday on Israeli Channel 14, a conservative, pro-Netanyahu station, the Israeli leader said he was “prepared to make a partial deal — this is no secret — that will return to us some of the people,” referring to the roughly 120 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. “But we are committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I’m not willing to give up on that.”

Netanyahu’s comments did not deviate dramatically from what he has said previously about his terms for a deal. But they come at a sensitive time, as Israel and Hamas appear to be moving further apart over the latest cease-fire proposal, and they could represent another setback for mediators trying to end the war.

Netanyahu’s comments stood in sharp contrast to the outlines of the dealdetailed late last month by U.S. President Joe Biden, who framed the plan as an Israeli one and which some in Israel refer to as “Netanyahu’s deal.” His remarks could further strain Israel’s ties to the U.S., its top ally, which launched a major diplomatic push for the latest cease-fire proposal.

The three-phased plan would bring about the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. But disputes and mistrust persist between Israel and Hamas over how the deal plays out.

Hamas has insisted it will not release the remaining hostages unless there’s a permanent cease-fire and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. When Biden announced the latest proposal, he said it included both.

But Netanyahu says Israel is still committed to destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, and ensuring it can never again carry out an Oct. 7-style assault. A full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, where Hamas’ top leadership and much of its forces are still intact, would almost certainly leave the group in control of the territory and able to rearm.

In the interview, Netanyahu said the current phase of fighting is ending, setting the stage for Israel to send more troops to its northern border to confront the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, in what could open up a new war front. But he said that didn’t mean the war in Gaza was over.

On Monday, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant discussed tensions on the border with Lebanon during his trip to Washington with Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to Biden. He echoed Netanyahu’s comments that the war in Gaza is transitioning to a new phase, which could impact other conflicts, including with Hezbollah.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Gallant that it was critical to avoid escalating the conflict in the Middle East and find a resolution that “allows both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes.”

Israel is close to dismantling the Hamas military brigades in the southern city of Rafah, and maintains “full control” over the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic buffer zone along Gaza’s border with Egypt, Israel’s military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said. Israel says the corridor is awash with tunnels that Hamas uses to smuggle weapons and other goods. Halevi said Israel’s control over the buffer zone will bring an end to that.

During the initial six-week phase of the proposed cease-fire, the sides are supposed to negotiate an agreement on the second phase, which Biden said would include the release of all remaining living hostages including male soldiers and Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza. The temporary cease-fire would become permanent.

Hamas appears concerned that Israel will resume the war once its most vulnerable hostages are returned. And even if it doesn’t, Israel could make demands in that stage of negotiations that were not part of the initial deal and are unacceptable to Hamas — and then resume the war when Hamas refuses them.

Netanyahu’s remarks reinforced that concern. After they were aired, Hamas said they represented “unmistakable confirmation of his rejection” of the U.S.-supported deal, which also received the backing of the United Nations’ Security Council.

In a statement late Sunday after Netanyahu’s lengthy TV interview, the Palestinian militant group said his position was “in contrast” to what the U.S. administration said Israel had approved. The group said its insistence that any deal should include a permanent cease-fire and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip “was an inevitable necessity to block Netanyahu’s attempts of evasion, deception, and perpetuation of aggression and the war of extermination against our people.”

Netanyahu shot back and in a statement from his office said Hamas opposed a deal. He said Israel would not withdraw from Gaza until all 120 hostages are returned.

Hamas welcomed the broad outline of the U.S. plan but proposed what it said were “amendments.” During a visit to the region earlier this month, Blinken said some of Hamas’ demands were “workable” and some were not, without elaborating.

Netanyahu and Hamas both have incentives to keep the devastating war going despite the catastrophic toll it has had on civilians in Gaza and the mounting anger in Israel that the hostages have not been returned and Hamas is not defeated.

The families of hostages have grown increasingly impatient with Netanyahu, seeing his apparent reluctance to move ahead on a deal as tainted by political considerations. A group representing the families condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, which it viewed as an Israeli rejection of the latest cease-fire proposal.

“This is an abandonment of the 120 hostages and a violation of the state’s moral duty toward its citizens,” it said, noting that it held Netanyahu responsible for returning all the captives.

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu repeated his claim that a “dramatic drop” in arms shipments from the U.S. was hindering the war effort. U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday that he doesn’t understand Netanyahu’s comments and that Biden has delayed only one shipment of heavy bombs over concerns about heavy civilian casualties.

“There are other weapons that we continue to provide Israel as we have done going back years and years, because we are committed to Israel’s security,”Miller told reporters in Washington. “There has been no change in that.”

In its Oct. 7 cross-border assault, Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 people captive, including women, children and older people. Dozens were freed in a temporary cease-fire deal in late November and of the 120 remaining hostages, Israel says about a third are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory war has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. It has sparked a humanitarian crisis and displaced most of the territory’s 2.3 million population.

AP