A group representing the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza expressed concern on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, under pressure from hardline members of his governing coalition, was trying to delay or even sabotage a possible agreement that could lead to an end to the conflict. fire and the liberation of captives held by Hamas.
A major sticking point in the negotiations has been Hamas’ continued demand that Israel commit to ending its seven-month military offensive in Gaza and giving up a planned invasion of Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold in the south of the enclave. , and Israel’s reluctance to declare such concessions, according to officials.
In discussions in Cairo, which were mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, negotiators attempted to leave some room for ambiguity in the early stages of a three-phase deal that could satisfy both sides.
But on Saturday the Israeli government issued two statements to journalists, attributable to an unnamed “political official,” saying that, contrary to reports, Israel would not agree to end the war as part of a deal. He added that he would not allow mediators to offer Hamas guarantees about an end to the war, while blaming Hamas for thwarting any chance of a deal by sticking to its demands.
Several of the Israeli journalists who received the statements said they came directly from the prime minister’s office, in an unusual breach of government confidentiality rules.
Nahum Barnea, a prominent political columnist, said in a column Sunday in Yediot Ahronot, a popular Hebrew news daily, that he felt the remarks were “designed to ruin the chances of an agreement.”
The Hostage Families Forum, an Israeli non-governmental group pushing for the release of the hostages and supporting their families, said in a statement Sunday that it was “shocked” to learn of the remarks. The group called on Netanyahu to “ignore all political pressure,” “lead,” and “show courage.”
Barnea said he believed Netanyahu would be freed “from the need to decide” on a deal if Hamas, mediators and far-right members of his government could be persuaded that there was none on the table.
On Sunday, Netanyahu vehemently rejected the accusations and said in a longer statement, on his own behalf, that Hamas was the party obstructing a deal. “Israel was, and still is, willing to stop the fighting to free our hostages,” he said.
Although the details of a possible deal are still being debated, Egypt has been pushing a proposal, with broad approval from Israeli negotiators, that would begin with a six-week truce, during which 33 of the most vulnerable hostages held in Gaza would be released. released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Israel would allow the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza with few restrictions, officials said, previously a major sticking point for Israel.
Husam Badran, a senior Hamas official, said Saturday that the group’s representatives had arrived in Cairo “with great positivity” about the latest proposal. But Hamas officials told Arab media that issues such as a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza remained unresolved. As of early Sunday, there was still no indication that Hamas had accepted the deal.