Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant stressed that reaching an agreement with Hamas through ongoing negotiations through mediators to exchange prisoners and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has become “closer than ever before.”

This came in a meeting held by Gallant with the families of Israeli female soldiers who have been held captive by resistance factions in the Gaza Strip since October 7, according to what Israeli Channel 12 reported in its evening bulletin on Monday.

Galant stressed that the Israeli security services support the proposed proposal, and pointed to an absolute consensus among the army, Shin Bet, and Mossad that “there is no security obstacle preventing the completion of the deal that cannot be overcome for Israel.”

Galant told the families of the female captive Israeli soldiers, "When there was no possibility of reaching an agreement, I told you that, but the situation now is different. Reaching a deal is closer than ever before."

According to Gallant, the ball is not in Israel's court now, and he said, "The issue is not at a standstill with us. This stage is considered critical. The decision-making process must move forward in the near future."

He added, "It is necessary and important to exhaust the moves and steps within the framework of the negotiations in the coming days, before the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, or during the visit."

Gallant considered that if the deal was not completed until then, “things will become more complicated and reaching an agreement will become more difficult.” He also urged the families of the female prisoners to meet with Netanyahu in an attempt to pressure him to complete the deal.

While Gallant refused to comment on whether he considered Netanyahu to be the main obstacle preventing the conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas within the framework of the efforts of the mediators, Qatar, the United States and Egypt, to move towards a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

“Big gaps between Netanyahu and the negotiating team regarding the terms of the deal.”

Israeli Channel 12 revealed “dramatic and stormy” deliberations in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office regarding prisoner exchange negotiations, and the report stated that all security agencies consider that the proposed proposal constitutes “an opportunity that will not be repeated.”

The channel quoted an official familiar with the details as saying, "Netanyahu's deliberations were in-depth and serious and touched on security details, how to resolve the dispute over the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia axis, and prevent the return of militants to the northern Gaza Strip."

On Monday evening, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority (“Kan 11”) revealed vast differences of opinion between Netanyahu and the negotiating team regarding the Philadelphia axis and the Rafah crossing, and some of the conditions that Netanyahu insists on within the framework of the potential agreement.

Kan 11 reported that Netanyahu insists on not withdrawing from the Philadelphia axis, keeping Israeli army forces deployed in the border area between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, and not allowing Gazans to return freely to the northern Gaza Strip.

During the meeting with Netanyahu, the negotiating team explained that there was progress in the talks with the mediators, and stressed that the withdrawal from the Philadelphia axis and not imposing restrictions on the return of residents to the northern Gaza Strip are central issues for Hamas.

The security services considered that it would be "possible to deal with the return of Gazans to the north without restrictions," while Netanyahu rejected this, and ordered the negotiating team to ask the mediators to reach a formula that would guarantee that militants would not return to the northern Gaza Strip.

According to Channel 12, the solution being agreed upon regarding the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia axis includes:

Withdrawal of Israeli army forces from positions built along the axis according to the deal proposal.

Installing advanced sensors and technological tools above and below ground to prevent smuggling operations.

The Rafah crossing is managed by international parties with the participation of Palestinian parties not linked to Hamas.

Conduct engineering operations to ensure that there are no usable smuggling tunnels.

An Israeli delegation will continue talks soon

Channel 12 also quoted a senior political official as saying that the Israeli delegation will leave to participate in a new round of talks with mediators soon, without specifying the date of the delegation’s departure or its destination.

On the other hand, the Walla website indicated that the visit of Mossad chief David Barnea, which was scheduled this week to Doha, to continue the talks in an attempt to reach a deal, has been postponed indefinitely.

The Walla website revealed that the Israeli political and security cabinet will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, to discuss developments in the negotiations to reach an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Hamas movement.

According to the official who spoke to Channel 12, Israel is in constant contact with the mediators, and he considered that “the method of military pressure followed by the Prime Minister and consistency in the negotiations enhances both goals: returning the hostages and achieving other war goals.”

He continued, "At this stage, military pressure must be increased, because this will enable us to return more hostages alive at a price that does not endanger the State of Israel."

For its part, Channel 13 quoted a senior political official (which it did not name) as saying that contacts are continuing with the mediators even after the assassination attempt on the military leader of Hamas, Muhammad al-Deif, last Saturday.

The official continued, "An Israeli delegation will leave to continue negotiations, and it is not certain that it will be headed by the head of the Mossad," adding that "Israel informed the mediators that it will continue negotiating," noting that "Hamas also continues to participate in the talks."