Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently introduced a set of new demands that effectively derailed a draft hostage and ceasefire deal in July, as reported by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The document obtained by the newspaper sheds light on accusations that Netanyahu deliberately prolonged the conflict for political gain, a claim echoed by hostage families.
The report revealed that three of the six hostages found dead in Gaza over the weekend were slated for release under the May draft agreement. The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the existence of the document but denied adding new conditions to the proposal.
An Israeli source familiar with the negotiations attributed the deaths of the hostages to Netanyahu's insistence on new demands, which led to the breakdown of the deal. The Hostages Families Forum directly blamed Netanyahu for thwarting the agreements.
Netanyahu's new demands, dubbed the 'Netanyahu Outline,' included maintaining Israeli forces in the Egypt-Gaza border area and setting specific conditions for the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza. The Israeli negotiators also requested the release of 40 hostages in a potential agreement, a move that sparked controversy.
Furthermore, the demands specified that a group of long-term Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged for Israeli soldiers should be sent 'abroad' after release, deviating from the previous agreement's terms.
Despite the Prime Minister's Office claiming that the new proposal aimed to clarify the May 27 agreement, critics argue that Netanyahu's demands hindered progress towards a resolution. Hamas accused Netanyahu of stalling negotiations by introducing additional conditions.
The late-stage introduction of these demands by Netanyahu has raised concerns about the impact on future negotiations and the prospects for achieving a lasting ceasefire in the region.
