A political source confirmed to Israel Hayom that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that “Israel” will be able to resume battles after the implementation of the ceasefire (if one is reached).
The source reported that Netanyahu “continues to insist on receiving formal written approval from the United States for this principle,” according to what was quoted by the newspaper.
Israeli media reported earlier that Netanyahu was holding political consultations aimed at ensuring that a prisoner exchange deal would not affect the government coalition.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation website, Makan, reported that Netanyahu plans to request that Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refrain from dismantling the government during the Knesset recess if the deal is concluded.
According to the website, they will instead be asked to “wait for the war to resume 42 days after the end of the first phase of the deal, after which they can decide their stance on the deal.”
This development comes as the Israeli Prime Minister further complicates ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip by imposing conditions that call for the resumption of hostilities after the first phase. These stipulations also involve maintaining Israeli forces’ control over the southern border at the Philadelphi axis and conducting searches of displaced Palestinians returning from southern areas to their homes in the north.
Current and former American and Israeli officials have previously acknowledged that the Israeli goal of securing the return of captives from the Gaza Strip “cannot be achieved by force (through military pressure),” as reported by The New York Times.
