Ben Gvir advocates for halting negotiations with Hamas.
For quite some time now, Israel has been in discussions with the terrorist group Hamas regarding a truce and the liberation of the remaining captives. This came after the alarming discovery of six slain captives, leading to rising tension towards the Israeli administration. Netanyahu is now facing criticism from the far-right faction.
Prominent far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has advocated for an end to dialogues with Hamas regarding a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza strip. This further fuels the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ben Gvir asserted, "A nation which sees its six captives mercilessly executed does not negotiate with the executioners. It concludes the talks, halts fuel and electricity supply, and subdues them until their collapse."
Ben Gvir, along with other radical right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is a significant ally to Netanyahu's conservative, religious government. They are strongly opposed to any indirect dialogues with the radical Islamic Hamas. For them, the continuation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip is the only potential way to annihilate the Palestinian organization that initiated the war with its Israel-attack on October 7.
No Direct Talks
Israel and Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the USA and EU, do not participate in direct negotiations with each other. Instead, the USA, Qatar, and Egypt facilitate the diplomatic talks with the aim of achieving an accord on a truce and the release of the remaining prisoners. However, no substantial development has been observed in the negotiations as yet.
With the retrieval of six deceased Israeli captives, the Israeli administration is under increasing pressure to confirm a settlement that ensures the liberation of all remaining captives. Protests by the opposition and families of the captives have been ongoing for several days.
On Tuesday, the US Government pledged to continue collaborating with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in the forthcoming days to "push for the final settlement." "[It's] time to conclude this settlement," commented US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Philadelphi Corridor and Military Deployment
One of the roadblocks in the negotiations is the so-called Philadelphi Corridor and Israel's ceaseless military deployment along the approximately 14-kilometer-long southern border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. So far, Netanyahu has stood firm on troop withdrawal, as Israel is fearful of a Hamas comeback through weapon smuggling via the tunnel routes. However, Miller revealed on Tuesday that Israel has consented to withdraw its troops from the border region.
Miller stated, "The compromise proposition that we have presented and that the Israeli government has endorsed incorporates the withdrawal of IDF from densely inhabited areas. This includes the Philadelphi Corridor."
In their massive assault on several sites in southern Israel, Hamas militants murdered 1,205 individuals and kidnapped 251 captives in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli reports. Nearly eleven months later, 97 captives remain held captive by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups, 33 of whom are reported dead.
In response to the Hamas assault, Israel is conducting extensive military operations in the Gaza Strip. As per Hamas's declaration, which cannot be independently verified, more than 40,800 people have lost their lives since October.
The criticism towards Prime Minister Netanyahu from the far-right faction, led by Minister Ben Gvir, stems from his continued discussions with The Commission, which includes Egypt and Qatar, aiming to facilitate peace talks with Hamas. The Commission is essentially attempting to negotiate a truce and the release of the remaining Israeli captives, but Ben Gvir advocates for a different approach.
