According to a report by leading Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, the occupying Israeli security cabinet met last night to discuss negotiations for a ceasefire and a mutual prisoner swap agreement in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Netanyahu is reported to have said in his speech at the meeting, “We should not stress. Hamas should stress. Israeli prisoners are suffering but not dying.”
In a written statement made by the platform formed by the families of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, it was emphasized that Netanyahu’s words were “unacceptable” and that he should provide clarification. The statement drew attention to the fact that the mutual prisoner swap negotiations between Hamas and Israel were in the “final stages” and stated that Netanyahu should make an effort to sign the agreement.
Netanyahu is allegedly to have sabotaged the prisoner swap talks with Hamas under pressure from the far-right wing of his cabinet. Sources speaking to The Jerusalem Post newspaper claimed that Hamas made major concessions in the negotiations.
The sources also said that Netanyahu had revived the conditions for a possible prisoner swap deal, namely that Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt would not be withdrawn and that members of Hamas’ military wing, the Izeddin al-Qassam Brigades, would not be allowed to cross into northern Gaza.
