Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is “not close,” dismissing American hopes for a compromise and stating that his red lines had grown “redder” in the aftermath of the deaths of six captives in Gaza.
Netanyahu remarked on the “Fox and Friends” morning program that a statement made by a top Biden administration official the day before claiming an agreement had been “ninety percent” agreed upon was “exactly inaccurate.”
Claiming that any imminent agreement was a “false narrative,” he once more placed the responsibility on Hamas, stating that “they just want us out of Gaza so they can retake Gaza.”
His remarks followed the U.S. official’s Wednesday briefing to reporters, when he said that Washington’s efforts to press for a truce had been hampered by Hamas’s execution of hostages and the Israeli leader’s hardening positions.
They claimed that at least two major issues were still unresolved: the identity of Palestinian prisoners who would be released in return for prisoners detained in Gaza and the “redeployment” of Israeli forces within the enclave. Netanyahu has hinted that a deal will not be reached unless his forces are allowed to stay in the Philadelphi corridor.
Things have become more “difficult” as a result of the Israeli leader’s frequent public interventions, the person added.
The senior official briefed reporters at a critical juncture, providing arguably the most thorough perspective of the discussions to yet, with Netanyahu standing by his demand in the face of strong political opposition and international pressure.
In an effort to mediate a settlement that would stop Israel’s almost year-long war in Gaza and guarantee the release of hostages detained in the enclave since Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7, the U.S. has been spearheading talks alongside Qatar and Egypt for months.
The insider stated that the Biden administration felt obliged to shed light on “what’s actually on the table” following the hostage executions and in response to the strong negative reaction to Netanyahu’s public remarks. Up until now, the U.S. had disclosed very few information of the negotiations.
The briefing coincided with NBC News revealing that the relatives of American hostages kidnapped by Hamas have put pressure on the White House to seriously explore reaching a unilateral agreement with the terrorist organization in order to ensure the release of their loved ones.
The official informed reporters that the proposed agreement under negotiation does not specifically address the Philadelphi corridor, which is a tiny stretch of land on the Gaza side of the enclave’s border with Egypt.
This week, Netanyahu has emphasized at many press conferences that Israel has to have a military presence in the corridor to stop Hamas from utilizing the border region for any purpose, including smuggling weapons into Gaza.
Speaking in public, the U.S. official implied that Netanyahu’s remarks had complicated matters by stating that “staking out concrete positions in the middle of a negotiation isn’t always particularly helpful.”
The U.S. source said that under the potential deal, Israeli forces had to evacuate from all “densely populated areas” in Gaza during the first phase of a truce, giving new light on how the controversy over the Philadelphi passage was affecting discussions. However, the official stated that there was disagreement on whether the corridor qualified for such designation.
According to the official, during the last two weeks, Israeli negotiators have developed a plan that would “significantly reduce” their presence along the corridor, in accordance with the terms of the agreement. However, “you don’t have a deal until you have a deal,” stated the senior official.
The person said that the exchange of Palestinian detainees for hostages was another area of dispute that has been made more complex by events from last weekend. The Philadelphi corridor was not the only cause of contention.
Families of hostages who had clung to the hope that their loved ones would be freed in exchange for a cease-fire agreement suffered further pain after the executions, and there were huge demonstrations in Israel demanding that Netanyahu accept a compromise. However, the official clarified that they also meant that there were now “fewer hostages as part of the deal,” which implied that fewer Palestinian detainees would be freed in return.
The U.S. official stated, “It’s tragic and awful, and you know, it’s affecting all of us.” However, the official declared: “The hostages will not return home, and the war will not end, until an agreement is reached.”
The official said, “Hamas’s readiness to do a deal of any kind has also been called into question, and the killings are coloring the discussions and adding a sense of urgency to the process.”
On Thursday, Israel’s foreign minister made the same suggestion. “Anyone who cold-bloodedly murders six hostages is not seeking a deal,” Israel Katz remarked. Following the hostage executions, right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated earlier this week that he was “working to stop the negotiations with Hamas.”
Netanyahu was allegedly attempting to “thwart” talks, according to Hamas. The terrorist organization said that the Israeli leader’s insistence on maintaining troops in the Philadelphi corridor was an attempt to prolong the stalemate in a statement published on Telegram early on Thursday.
Following Hamas’ onslaught, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and about 250 hostages, Israeli officials claim that since Israel began its military offensive in the enclave, more than 40,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip, according to local health professionals.
Israeli officials estimate that some 100 Palestinians are still being kept captive in Gaza, with about a third of them thought to be dead.
