Negotiations over the war in Gaza have made progress but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be acting as a saboteur.
The current proposal would include a release of hostages from both sides and a “restoration of sustainable calm.” After a staggered release of prisoners, a reported “five-year rehabilitation plan will begin, in which the Palestinians will commit to not build infrastructure for military purposes, and will not receive raw materials that can be used for such purposes.”
But then Netanyahu went and said this: “The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question. We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there – with or without a deal, in order to achieve the total victory.”
What? That’s not part of a restoration of sustainable calm. Israeli officials told Haaretz that Netanyahu is sabotaging the chances of a hostage deal.