CNN, citing an Israeli source familiar with the talks, reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed away from a key concession made by Israel during the ceasefire negotiations.

The source said that Israel had previously agreed to allow Palestinians unrestricted access to northern Gaza during any potential ceasefire, but last week, Netanyahu asked his negotiators to add the condition that militants not be allowed to enter the north.

Netanyahu included a similar condition in the list of “non-negotiable” demands that he issued last Sunday. He said: "There will be no return of thousands of armed terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip."

A CNN report on Friday said that Netanyahu's new request could turn the negotiations upside down. The Israeli leader made other demands aimed at sabotaging the chances of the deal.

In his list of demands last Sunday, Netanyahu said that any agreement must prevent “the smuggling of weapons to Hamas from Egypt to the Gaza border.” Axios reported that Egypt agreed to build an “underground wall” to prevent weapons smuggling across its border with Gaza, known as the Philadelphia Corridor, and the United States agreed to finance it.

But after this breakthrough, Netanyahu demanded that Israel maintain its control over the Philadelphia Corridor. He said: "We will not allow weapons to be smuggled to Hamas from Egypt, first and foremost through Israeli control of the Philadelphia axis and the Rafah crossing."

Netanyahu also continues to insist that any agreement must allow him to resume the genocidal war, a condition supported by Mossad chief David Barnea, who is leading the negotiations.

“Without the terms that Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on, we will not be able to renew the war, and without that we will not win or recover all the hostages. This is what is necessary in the interest of the State of Israel,” Barnea said at a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet on Thursday.

In turn, The Times of Israel newspaper revealed that the Israeli proposal regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages, the full text of which was published earlier, “contradicts” Netanyahu’s statements that he “did not present any new demands” in the negotiations.

On Sunday, the newspaper published the full text of the proposal announced by US President Joe Biden and presented by mediators to Hamas on May 27, which included general principles to be agreed upon between Israel and Hamas regarding the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the restoration of sustainable calm, with a guarantee from Qatar, Egypt and the United States. Implementing what was stated in the agreement.

In a press conference held on Saturday, Netanyahu said, referring to the Israeli proposal: “I did not move one iota from the proposal that US President Joe Biden praised. I did not add any conditions. I did not remove any conditions.”

Netanyahu added: “I adhered to four basic demands, which are part of this proposal,” starting with Israel’s “right” to continue the war until all its goals are achieved.