IOF delegate in Gaza negotiations resigns over restrictions: Media
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The Israeli Channel 13 suggests Nitzan Alon's resignation reflects his frustration with the handling of the Israeli captives file.
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Israeli Major General Nitzan Alon, Head of Central Command listens to a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli occupation military forces' headquarters on June 16, 2014, in occupied al-Quds. (AFP)
Israeli media outlets reported on Tuesday evening that Brigadier General Nitzan Alon, a reserve officer in the Israeli occupation military and a delegate in the team negotiating a prisoner exchange deal, has resigned from his position due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to expand the authority of the negotiating team.
The Israeli Channel 13 noted that Alon's resignation comes in the wake of a "paralysis" in efforts to retrieve Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza, suggesting that the resignation reflects his frustration with the handling of the captives file and that the Israeli government does not intend to take serious steps to reach a prisoner exchange deal.
In the same context, Israeli political and security officials accused Netanyahu of "obstructing a deal with Hamas." The officials pointed out that the Israeli Prime Minister is blaming the Palestinian group for hindering the agreement and claiming it seeks to escalate the situation in the region during Ramadan, describing Netanyahu's claims as "a series of lies."
Earlier, political analyst Ben Caspit for the Israeli newspaper Maariv said he believed Netanyahu's statements aimed to provide "Israel with an excuse" to freeze talks over a prisoner exchange deal and to "continue procrastinating at the expense of human lives," referring to Israeli captives held by the Resistance in Gaza.
Previously, Israeli media outlets reported that Netanyahu's orders for troops to prepare for the invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah had sparked significant disagreements between him and the Israeli military.
On Tuesday, Hamas Political Bureau member Ghazi Hamad told Al Mayadeen that the negotiations are sometimes stalling and other times renewing, affirming that the ball is now in "Israel's" court.
Hamad indicated that the Israeli occupation does not want and is not interested in a ceasefire nor in withdrawing its troops from the Gaza Strip.
Qatar says no imminent Gaza ceasefire deal, remains hopeful
Qatar's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, expressed optimism despite the absence of a finalized captive and ceasefire agreement, stating that Doha remains hopeful.
"We are not close to achieving a Gaza ceasefire deal, the situation is very complicated on the ground," he added.
During a press conference in Doha, he said, “We are not seeing both sides converging on language that can resolve the current disagreement over the implementation of a deal.”
All sides were “continuing to work in the negotiations to reach a deal hopefully within the confines of Ramadan,” al-Ansari stressed.
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