Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Credit: AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added new conditions to a ceasefire proposal for Gaza at the end of July, further hardening Israel's position and complicating negotiations, according to the New York Times. The newspaper cites confidential documents indicating that Israel now demands control over the Gaza-Egypt border, a condition not included in the original proposal endorsed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. Middle East Eye also reported these new conditions, noting that Netanyahu "quietly" introduced them.
Israel is also less flexible regarding the return of Palestinians displaced in northern Gaza after the fighting ends. In the May proposal, Israel had relaxed its stance by allowing displaced persons to return without strict prior checks for weapons. The July document reveals that Netanyahu insists on applying these stringent checks. Regarding the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, Netanyahu's office detailed its conditions on Tuesday, including "a veto on certain prisoners," according to AFP.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the negotiations, have been informed of these new demands, which contradict Netanyahu's public claims that he had not altered Israel's stance from the May document.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has also made significant revision requests throughout the negotiations, although it conceded some less important points in July, according to the NYT. However, doubts remain about Hamas's willingness to compromise on crucial issues, casting uncertainty on the outcome of discussions scheduled to resume on Aug. 15.
Critics of Netanyahu, including some high-ranking Israeli security officials, have accused him of deliberately slowing the peace process and fear that his new demands could derail an agreement at a time when a ceasefire seems within reach, the NYT reports.
"The reason why the agreement (...) is delayed is, among other things, Israel," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday before a parliamentary committee. His remarks sparked Netanyahu's ire.
"When Gallant adopts an anti-Israel stance, he reduces the chances of reaching a hostage release agreement," Netanyahu responded in a statement from his office.
According to the NYT, these elements suggest that Netanyahu prioritizes the stability of his coalition government, which includes far-right ministers staunchly opposed to any ceasefire, over facilitating the release of hostages held by Hamas. In response to these accusations, Netanyahu's office denied introducing new conditions, asserting that the changes were intended solely to clarify and facilitate the implementation of the initial May proposal.
Diplomatic efforts continue despite these complications, with a new round of negotiations set for Thursday under the mediation of the United States, Egypt and Qatar, although the outcome remains uncertain.