An Egyptian source held the Israeli government responsible today, Monday, for not concluding a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and exchanging prisoners, renewing his country’s rejection of any Israeli presence in the Philadelphi corridor and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
The Cairo News Channel quoted an unnamed high-level Egyptian source as saying that “the Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu is responsible for not reaching a truce agreement, and is seeking to impose a new reality on the ground to cover up its internal crisis.”
He warned that “the continuation of the current war on Gaza and the possibility of its regional expansion is extremely dangerous, and portends dire consequences at all levels.” The source also renewed “Egypt’s affirmation of the constants and determinants of any peace agreement, foremost of which is the categorical rejection of the Israeli presence in the Philadelphi corridor and the Rafah crossing.”
With the mediation of Egypt and Qatar and the sponsorship
of the United States, Israel and Hamas have been conducting indirect negotiations that have been faltering for months, while Tel Aviv continues its war on Gaza for the eleventh month.
Netanyahu insists on ensuring the possibility of resuming the war, and the continued presence of his army in the Philadelphi Corridor, the Rafah Crossing, and the Netzarim Corridor separating the north and south of the Gaza Strip.
While Hamas insists on ending the war, the complete withdrawal of the occupation army, and the freedom of the displaced to return to their areas, as part of any prisoner exchange agreement.
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Monday to demand that Netanyahu conclude a prisoner exchange agreement, and a general strike spread throughout the country, in solidarity with the families of Israeli detainees in Gaza.
Tel Aviv detains more than 9,500 Palestinians in its prisons, and estimates that there are 101 Israeli detainees in Gaza, while Hamas announced the killing of dozens of them in random Israeli
raids.
For months, security officials, the opposition, and the families of prisoners have accused Netanyahu of obstructing a deal with Hamas, fearing the collapse of his ruling coalition and the loss of his position, and are demanding his resignation and early elections.
Far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, are threatening to withdraw from the government and bring it down if it accepts an agreement that calls for a complete withdrawal of the army or an end to the war on Gaza.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
