Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to approve sending a delegation to Cairo to continue talks on a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, and denied that the movement had presented a new proposal during the talks held yesterday, Tuesday, in the Egyptian capital.

A statement issued by Netanyahu's office said, "Israel has not received any new proposal from Hamas to release the hostages. The Prime Minister, Netanyahu, insists that Israel will not submit to Hamas' unreasonable demands." He claimed that "a change in Hamas' positions will allow progress in the negotiations."

Earlier today, the Israeli Walla website quoted two informed sources as saying that Egyptian intelligence wanted to continue the talks in Cairo, tomorrow, Thursday, but Netanyahu refused the Israeli delegation’s participation in these talks.

According to Walla, the proposal to continue the talks was an Egyptian and Qatari attempt to achieve progress on issues that are not related to the number of Palestinian prisoners that Hamas is demanding to liberate, but rather in order to create “continuity and momentum in communications.”

An informed source said that the Egyptians and Qataris proposed holding talks in Cairo, tomorrow, with the participation of high levels of work in order to discuss the humanitarian elements of a possible prisoner exchange deal, such as the amount of aid that will enter the Gaza Strip and the possibility of the Palestinians returning to their homes in the northern Strip, according to what was reported by “Walla”. 

Yesterday, an Israeli delegation headed by Mossad chief David Barnea participated in talks on a prisoner exchange that took place in Cairo, with the participation of the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Qatari prime minister. Upon its return, the delegation informed Netanyahu of the proposal to continue the talks tomorrow.

The source said that Netanyahu did not agree to send the delegation to the talks tomorrow, claiming that “there is no point in further talks until Hamas agrees to soften its position on the issue of the number of prisoners it demands to be liberated within the framework of the deal.”

Commenting on the Cairo talks yesterday, an Israeli official said, “The main gap remaining in the negotiations is the large number of prisoners that Hamas is demanding in exchange for the kidnapped,” noting that “the talks ended without a breakthrough in the talks, but progress was recorded in understanding the gaps that must be filled” In order to enter into negotiations leading to a deal.”