Netanyahu does not want to commit to final ceasefire
Direct negotiations between Israel's leadership and Hamas are set to resume this week. Minister-president Netanyahu has made it clear in advance what he will not agree to. Thousands of Israelis are demanding his resignation during nationwide protests.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal for the resumption of indirect negotiations over a hostage deal during the Gaza War is met with anger and growing impatience. "For nine months, you have abandoned the hostages. Netanyahu - listen to us, stop dragging it out. We want them home, and it's up to you to bring them home," cried the mother of one of the Hamas hostages during an evening protest in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv.
"There's a deal on the table that can save lives and all of us," the "Times of Israel" quotes the desperate Israeli woman further. Her son and approximately 120 other hostages have been held by Hamas and its associates in the Gaza Strip for the past nine months. It is uncertain how many of the abductees are still alive.
Across the country, protests and street blockades took place on the "Day of Disruption." There were also protests in Jerusalem, according to local media reports, at Netanyahu's residence, where demonstrators demanded that the indirect negotiations over a hostage deal and a ceasefire finally lead to success. They also called for new elections.
Hamas reportedly backs down from core demand
The talks on a Gaza agreement under the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are set to continue in Cairo this week. However, Netanyahu made it clear earlier that he rejects a commitment to fully ending the fighting. "Every agreement will allow Israel to resume fighting until all war goals are achieved," it says in a list of conditions published by the Prime Minister's Office. Netanyahu's statement reportedly caused frustration, according to media reports.
A plan is on the negotiating table that the Americans have worked out. The mediators are currently working on formulations to bridge the gap in disputed areas. Netanyahu's statements hindered these efforts, according to the "Times of Israel," quoting a high-ranking representative of the mediators anonymously.
After weeks of stalemate, there have been signs of progress in the difficult negotiations. So, the Islamic Hamas is reportedly showing flexibility and abandoning its core demand, while Israel is expected to commit to ending the war before any deal is reached. The office of the Israeli Prime Minister announced that they would also try to maximize the number of living hostages who would be released as part of the agreement. They would not allow armed fighters to return to the northern Gaza Strip. Smuggling of weapons from Egypt would be prevented.
The reported flexibility from Hamas in their core demand has sparked hopes for a breakthrough in the negotiations. Despite this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains his stance on not fully ending the fighting, prompting concerns from the mediators. The nationwide protests in Israel continue, with protesters calling for successful negotiations, a ceasefire, and new elections.
