Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added new conditions to negotiations aimed at freeing hostages and suspending fighting in the Gaza Strip in May. The negotiations were being mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, and focused on a cease-fire proposal to temporarily halt the conflict and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians detained by Israel. Netanyahu’s new conditions included Israeli forces maintaining control of Gaza’s southern border with Egypt and placing more restrictions on Palestinians seeking to return to their homes in the enclave. However, Netanyahu’s office denied reports of adding new conditions, stating that a letter from him last month did not introduce extra conditions.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas had advanced close to an agreement before Netanyahu moved the goalposts and proposed new conditions, according to a Middle Eastern official. A Hamas representative in Lebanon stated that the group would not take part in planned negotiations due to Netanyahu’s alleged lack of interest in reaching a full agreement to end aggression completely. Despite this, Israel planned to send a delegation to the negotiations, which could be complicated by Iran’s vow to strike at Israel following the assassination of Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Netanyahu has emphasized the importance of not compromising Israeli security along the Egypt-Gaza border, stating that any agreement must prevent the return of armed terrorists and the entry of weapons to the north of the Gaza Strip. Critics in Israel, including families of hostages, have accused Netanyahu of prioritizing far-right members of his coalition over an agreement to halt fighting and bring hostages home. Both Hamas and Israel have shown a reluctance to compromise at times, making an agreement difficult to obtain.
The war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was sparked by a terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel that resulted in the death of 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Approximately 40,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since Israel launched a retaliatory military operation in the enclave, according to local health officials. Hamas has accused Israel of adding new conditions to sabotage a potential cease-fire agreement and has called for international mediators to implement what was previously agreed upon.
Despite appeals from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt for both parties to return to the negotiating table, a significant amount of progress is needed before a cease-fire agreement can be reached. A senior Biden administration official noted that there is still substantial work to be done before an agreement can be signed. The talks could be further complicated by Iran’s threat to strike at Israel following the assassination of Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh was leading negotiations between Israel and Hamas at the time of his death.
Overall, negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza have been complicated by new conditions added by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran. Both parties have shown a reluctance to compromise at times, and critics have accused Netanyahu of prioritizing far-right members of his coalition over reaching an agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza. The involvement of international mediators has been called for, but it remains to be seen if a comprehensive agreement can be reached in the near future.
