Israeli Channel 12 reported on Friday that senior officials in the Ministry of Defense said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had added principles that go beyond agreements with mediators, and that this could hinder the ability to reach an exchange agreement and ceasefire in Gaza, at a time when the families of prisoners are demonstrating, demanding a deal.
The channel explained that the principles added by Netanyahu relate to the return of those he describes as “militants” to the northern Gaza Strip, the management of the Philadelphi Corridor, and the possibility of returning to war.
An Israeli official was quoted as saying that if the deal is not completed at what he described as “this critical time,” it may never happen, according to his expression.
Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli delegation headed by the head of the General Security Service (Shabak) Ronen Bar returned from Cairo this afternoon after a round of negotiations.
Insistence on war
Following his meeting with the negotiating delegation that returned from Doha yesterday, Netanyahu pledged to continue the war until what he described as victory is achieved, even if it takes more time.
In return, he confirmed his commitment to the plan to release the detained prisoners, and Netanyahu accused the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of adhering to demands that contradict the proposal.
The Prime Minister stressed that any deal must allow Israel to return to fighting, until all the war’s goals are achieved.
Prisoners’ families protest
As negotiations continued, the families of the Israeli prisoners continued their march from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem for the third day, to convey to Netanyahu that this time they will not allow the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas to be blown up.
Over the course of months, and in the face of Israeli intransigence with American cover, mediation efforts did not succeed in reaching an agreement, and were hindered by Netanyahu’s refusal to respond to Hamas’ demands to completely stop the war.
Indirect negotiations have resumed with visits by Israeli delegations to Doha and Cairo in recent days to complete the prisoner exchange deal talks with Hamas.
