Hamas slams Netanyahu's accusation over missing settlers

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas on Sunday rejected Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations of abducting three Jewish settlers from the West Bank.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed Netanyahu’s accusations as being “stupid” and “intelligence-driven”.

Netanyahu accused Hamas of kidnapping three Israeli settlers missing since Thursday.

He said he was only able to reveal the accusation until after Israeli security forces had raided the homes of scores of Hamas leaders and members in the West Bank and detained them.

Three teenage Jewish settlers went missing late Thursday in the southern West Bank.

No group has claimed responsibility for seizing the trio.

Abu Zuhri warned Israel against escalating its aggressions against the Palestinian people after Netanyahu’s accusation.

“Israel will be responsible for any escalation against the Palestinian people and its leaders,” he said in a statement obtained by Anadolu Agency.

The Israeli army has cordoned off the West Bank city of Hebron as part of search efforts for the three Jewish teenage settlers.

It has also closed down all crossings with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have earlier detained around dozens of Hamas leaders during pre-dawn raids on their West Bank homes.

The detainees included former ministers, lawmakers and mosque preachers, according to the Palestinian NGO Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.