Conflicting reports on fate of Israeli response to Gaza deal emerge

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
21 Jul 2024 15:31
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly holds a meeting with the Israeli negotiating team before flying to the United States.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony in “Israel” on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP)

Efforts to approve the Israeli response to the potential exchange deal as early as today are underway, The Times of Israel reported, citing the Kan public broadcaster.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet the Israeli negotiating team in the coming hours before flying to the United States.

In a contradictory report, Noam Amir, Channel 14's military affairs analyst, revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the planned visit of the Israeli negotiating delegation to Doha before heading to the United States, as per Israeli media reports.

Simultaneously, Israeli media commented on Netanyahu’s decision, stating that the Likud party is sending a message: "A deal for everyone or nothing at all."

Delays to cause 'Israel' to lose upper hand in prisoner exchange deal

Sources within "Israel's" security establishment are concerned that "losing more time will cause us to lose the upper hand in the prisoner exchange deal, specifically the Netzarim corridor," Israeli reports revealed on Saturday.

Military affairs correspondent Nir Dvori of Channel 12 stated that the international community and international courts "are not going to wait and will begin applying pressure to evacuate the corridor and allow residents to return to northern Gaza, which will prevent us from securing the return of the captives."

"This is a leverage point we must not lose, and we need to make use of this time," he added.

"The plan is feasible, and the conditions are negotiable. There are understandings regarding the terms for the release of the captives, as well as concerning the Philadelphia Corridor," he continued.

"There is an important opportunity to return 30 captives to their homes, and we must not miss this chance now," he further said, adding, "Israel needs to decide what it wants and send the Mossad chief to Doha to move things forward."

A few days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the heads of the security establishment of "imposing US President Joe Biden's ceasefire plan on him."

An Israeli security official told Channel 13 that "the situation of the deal is bleak," adding that the Prime Minister is introducing conditions "that Hamas will not accept," such as maintaining a presence in the "Netzarim corridor" to prevent the return of Palestinian fighters.

Negotiations stalling

Over the past few weeks, several observers argued that a ceasefire agreement was within reach, with Axios reporting that CIA Director Bill Burns and top US advisors were on their way to Cairo to seal an agreement.

But with recent developments, frustration is clearly felt on the US side, which comes as no surprise since the Israeli side has been obstinate in reaching an agreement since the war began.

On Friday, senior sources in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that the visit of an Israeli delegation to Cairo on Wednesday did not lead to anything, and did not provide any answers to the mediators' proposals.

The sources confirmed that the mediators have become convinced that the Israeli delegation is stalling and trying to buy time, waiting for the return of the occupation prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, from Washington.