PALESTINE

Mon 19 Aug 2024 9:48 am - Jerusalem Time

Galant to Netanyahu: We are losing the deal and heading towards a regional war

Pessimism prevails among the participants in the negotiations regarding the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange, despite the optimism expressed by some parties after the end of the Doha summit at the end of the week.


In the meantime, the two Israeli delegations are working, the one that is still in Qatar, and the other that will arrive at the summit that will be held in Cairo at the end of the week.


Hamas did not reject the outlines, but said on Sunday evening that the new proposal "meets Netanyahu's demands, including postponing the permanent ceasefire and not completely withdrawing from Gaza, which complicates reaching an agreement."


According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, an Israeli delegation including representatives of the Shin Bet, the IDF, and the Israeli government's coordinator left for Cairo.


An Israeli source familiar with the negotiations said that the situation is now complex and sensitive, and requires two days of patience to see developments, and it is clear that without a compromise on Netanyahu's part, an agreement will not be reached.


Against this complex situation, a heated debate erupted between the negotiating team and Benjamin Netanyahu at the meeting held today. The officials pressed for flexibility and warned against losing the opportunity to reach an agreement.


According to security sources, members of the Israeli negotiating team are feeling very frustrated and feel that the deal is slipping away from them, and there is a feeling that Netanyahu is not interested in the deal and is relying on Sinwar's rejection.


At the same meeting, Defense Minister Yoav Galant demanded that this issue be brought up for discussion in the broad government, saying that Israel is at a crossroads Strategically, where it is not only a moral choice between "agreement - yes or no", but "regional war - yes or no". Galant warned that if the agreement fails, the chances of dragging Israel into a regional war will increase.


According to the Israeli newspaper, Netanyahu is still insisting on keeping the army in the Philadelphi corridor.


In this regard, an official in Netanyahu's government told the newspaper, "Netanyahu is afraid of reaching an agreement, because he does not want the war to end." According to him, "He will always find an excuse not to reach a deal.

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Galant to Netanyahu: We are losing the deal and heading towards a regional war

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