The Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed the details of a new ceasefire plan in Gaza, which is being negotiated secretly between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and includes a mutual and limited release of prisoners between the two parties.
Based on an article published by the newspaper today, Saturday, by its political correspondent Anna Barsky, these negotiations are proceeding calmly, amid cautious optimism in light of the position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who continues to stress the necessity of continuing the war.
At the beginning of the report, Brasky highlights Netanyahu’s image in the Knesset this week, where he appeared in two separate sessions during which he repeated his assertions of the need to continue the fight against Hamas, and rejected any concessions that might lead to a ceasefire agreement before eliminating the “terrorist organization.” As described.
According to the author, this position reflects a state of “despair and exhaustion” experienced by the Israeli political system in general, especially in light of the increasing pressure from the families of the prisoners and the international community, which calls for a peaceful settlement.
Leadership crisis
In a session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset, Netanyahu confirmed that he was correct in several military decisions, such as assassinating Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and launching operations in Rafah, despite American objections. He added that he rejects the pressures from inside and outside that call for him to hold negotiations regarding the prisoners, and calls for the continuation of the war until the complete elimination of Hamas.
These statements highlight the leadership crisis that Netanyahu faces at the present time, as it seems as if he is relying on previous successes, such as the military operations he carried out despite American opposition, to prove to everyone that his plans were correct. But this strategy is now in doubt within Israel, as voices of opposition to the lack of a clear plan for the end have begun to grow.
Secret negotiations and preliminary agreement
Despite Netanyahu’s public statements, it turned out that there are movements behind closed doors aimed at reaching a temporary settlement, including a ceasefire, according to Maariv’s correspondence, which confirms that there are ongoing negotiations under the table, mediated by third parties, and dealing with a temporary arrangement for a ceasefire. Fire for 42 days.
The Israeli newspaper report did not address the identity of the mediating parties, or whether there are new mediators, as it is known that Qatar announced the freeze of its mediation, while Egypt continues these efforts.
Barsky quotes Israeli political sources as saying, “If an agreement is reached, Israel will release a group of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners,” without mentioning the details of the numbers.
As for the logistical details, the correspondent also quotes these sources as saying, “A partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from some locations in the Gaza Strip was discussed, including the Philadelphia axis, which Israel recently occupied, as it believes that this step is part of the temporary phase that may open the way.” For long-term negotiations on the future of the Gaza Strip.
Pressure on Netanyahu
The newspaper’s report points out the hard-line positions of members of the Israeli government that may hinder reaching a deal like this, pointing in particular to Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who declared their opposition to any agreement that might lead to stopping the war in Gaza.
However, the report quotes sources close to Netanyahu that there is a change in the position within the government, due to American promises that Israel will be able to return to military operations if the negotiations fail, which allows the removal of Ben Gvir and Smotrich’s opposition.
Barsky adds, “At the international level, the administration of US President Joe Biden is closely following these negotiations. According to the sources, Biden has promised Israel to support it in returning to military operations if the negotiations do not lead to a permanent agreement.”
On the other hand, some leaks indicate that Netanyahu received verbal guarantees from incoming President Donald Trump, who pledged his full support for Israel if the talks fail.
In parallel with these movements on the Israeli level, the report says that Hamas has shown flexibility in its positions. It is reported from political sources that there are indications that the movement is ready to engage in talks aimed at reaching a temporary agreement that will lead to the release of prisoners.
Despite the cautious optimism that prevails among some participants in the talks, the path forward for future agreements is still fraught with doubts, as Israel has gone through a number of stages in which the negotiations seemed on the verge of reaching important agreements, and then collapsed due to field conditions or internal pressures.
At the same time, the question remains whether the occupation government is able to maintain the unity of its political ranks if an agreement is reached with Hamas, as there are great doubts that Netanyahu will be able to convince his hard-line ministers to accept a deal that may include major concessions, according to a Maariv correspondent. .
