The Israeli Broadcasting Authority: Netanyahu disrupted an agreement with Hamas to please Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
The Israeli official Broadcasting Authority, said on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu missed the opportunity to reach a prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas last July, in order to please the Ministers of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Bezalel Smotrich.
The Israeli official Broadcasting Authority added that Hamas was prepared to release a number of Israeli prisoners and hostages, without linking that to a complete ceasefire, last July.
The report pointed out that Hamas’ approval at the time was an attempt to link the first and second stages of the ceasefire proposal, which was related to humanitarian aid.
The Israeli official Broadcasting Authority didn’t provide further details, but Hamas has repeatedly stressed that it won’t release the Israeli detainees except through an agreement that leads to a comprehensive halt to the genocide being waged by Tel Aviv against the Gaza Strip.
The US proposal at that time included 3 stages: the first included an immediate ceasefire, the release of women, the elderly and the wounded from the Israeli hostages in Gaza, the exchange of prisoners, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza.
In addition to increasing humanitarian aid, rebuilding basic services, and returning civilians to their homes throughout the Strip, with civil society providing the necessary contribution in the field of housing.
Following the parties’ agreement, the second phase requires the release of all remaining prisoners and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza to end the crisis once and for all.
The third stage included starting a plan to rebuild Gaza over several years and handing over the bodies of Israeli prisoners.
The Israeli official Broadcasting Authority explained that Netanyahu refused to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and made the Philadelphi and Netzarim axes in the Strip an obstacle to the ceasefire process.
The Israeli official Broadcasting Authority quoted an unnamed Israeli source as saying that Netanyahu rejected this deal to please both Ben Gvir and Smotrich at the time.
Both ministers had previously threatened to withdraw from the government if the deal was concluded with Hamas, and considered it a defeat for Israel.
The prisoner exchange negotiations between Hamas and Israel have reached a stumbling stage, due to Netanyahu’s insistence on setting new conditions that include continuing control over the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, and the Rafah crossing in Gaza, and preventing the return of Palestinian faction fighters to northern Gaza (by inspecting returnees through the Netzarim corridor in the middle of the Strip)”.
For its part, Hamas insists on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and a complete cessation of war to accept any agreement.
The meeting will also discuss, according to the Broadcasting Authority, what was raised by US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Israel.
Channel 13 said on Sunday that US envoy Amos Hochstein threatened Israel with withdrawing from the mediation its leading to conclude a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israeli if the latter doesn’t agree to Washington’s proposal.
Channel 13 added that Hochstein informed the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Mike Herzog, that if Israel doesn’t respond positively to the ceasefire proposal with Lebanon, the United States will withdraw from the mediation efforts it is leading between the two sides.
