Senior Egyptian source: Netanyahu's 'intransigence' obstacle to Gaza ceasefire efforts

CAIRO – 7 September 2024: A high-level Egyptian source has censured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "intransigence" as an obstacle hindering the achievement of a ceasefire in Gaza and the pursuit of peace.

The source emphasized that Netanyahu's unwavering stance continues to impede any progress towards a ceasefire agreement.

Furthermore, he highlighted that Netanyahu's government is doubling down on its obstinacy, actively obstructing the efforts of mediators in an attempt to mask the persistent failures in Israeli military and political strategies.

Over the past weeks, Netanyahu has added extra conditions for a ceasefire deal to allow the release of Israeli captives held there, including Israeli forces’ maintaining a stay at the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border.

Reports have cited an "Egyptian high-level source" who has consistently criticized Netanyahu's insistence on the corridor issue, cautioning that the Israeli prime minister's stance is undermining ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

Last week, Netanyahu said the Israeli troops must remain at this corridor to prevent weapons and possibly Israeli captives being dispatched across the border.

His remarks came after six Israeli captives held in Gaza have been killed, with Hamas blaming their death on the continued Israeli strikes across Gaza.

The families of Israeli captives taken by Hamas on October 7 have blamed Netanyahu on the fresh deaths, calling on him to take responsibility for their passing.

“A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage and excuses, the six hostages whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said in a Facebook post.

Their deaths have sparked massive protests across Israel in a bid to exert pressure on Israel to sign a deal to allow a prisoner-captive swap with Hamas and achieve ceasefire in Gaza.

As mediators, Egypt, Qatar and the United States have stepped up their efforts over the past month with fresh rounds of talks in Cairo and Doha in a bid to reach a deal that stops the war and achieve a prisoner swap.

Against the backdrop of his remarks, an Egyptian high-level source emphasized last week that Netanyahu is spreading lies against Egypt to cover up his failure to achieve his war objectives, including the release of captives.

The source said Israel has failed to eradicate the arms smuggling mafia from Karm Abu Salem to Gaza, noting that Netanyahu’s claims of weapons smuggling from Egypt aims to dismiss attention from his failure in the captive file.

The source accused Netanyahu of also allowing weapons smuggling from inside Israel to the West Bank.