In light of intense pressure from families of Israeli prisoners on the one hand, and opposition from the US administration, military commanders and strong opposition from the far-right in the government on the other, the mini-ministerial council of the Israeli government will meet on Saturday evening to discuss the terms of the prisoner exchange deal with the Hamas movement.
According to the latest information released in Tel Aviv, Hamas will release 70 Israeli prisoners, not 50, but Israel says it will release 150 female Palestinian prisoners and minors from prisons. A daily 60 thousand liter fuel entry was made in multiple batches to meet the 5 days ceasefire and the needs of emergency services and hospitals. On Friday, Israel began introducing the first phase of fuel.
A “hard to digest” deal
Political circles in Tel Aviv are finding it difficult to digest the deal in a government with a far-right structure, as the far-right sees it as a capitulation to the Hamas movement, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fears the right wing. He was allied with him in the government, so he was very reluctant to approve it. The army in particular expressed its opposition to it.
Military commanders see it as an obstacle to his war plan, under the pretext that it will handcuff him and prevent his advance south of the Gaza Strip, but the US administration is pushing to approve it and is supported in the government. Ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Escott and head of Mossad (foreign intelligence). There is intense pressure from the families of Israeli and foreign prisoners, as well as Western governments, that say we must seize the opportunity and accept the belated and belated handing over of Hamas leadership. On the fourth day of a walk from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the prisoners’ families raised their voices and demanded immediate ratification of the agreement.
Netanyahu must be impeached
Orit Meir Zan, the son of Almok’s abductee on October 7, said, “It has become clear that the Israeli government has not placed the issue of our abducted children above its attention. We are very concerned about the lives of our children. We had a very difficult 41 days and the government did not give us any hope. That’s why we’re starting this journey, and we won’t stop until our children return. The family’s leadership team announced a new expansion on Saturday, details of which were not disclosed. But the leaks indicated that Netanyahu and the entire War Command team were to be fired, and President Biden was to be asked to personally take over the management of negotiations on behalf of the Israeli government until an agreement was reached.
The leaders of these families enjoy wide public support, reflected in thousands of citizens joining their marches and a majority of the media coming out in support of them. The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said in an editorial by Nahum Barnia, brother of the Mossad chief, that “it is hard to digest, but the chance of us getting a better deal is very small.” We need to make a quick decision. Those who escape decision-making are betting the lives of children, women and the elderly, who were trafficked to enemy countries for their own fault, on the fault of the state.
Good reasons for rejecting the contract
Supporters of the deal say there are many good reasons to reject it, including the army, along with Defense Minister Yoav Galant and far-right ministers who believe Hamas is on the brink of collapse and doesn’t care about the Palestinians. Prisoners, or humanitarian aid and fuel for the people of Gaza. Rather, it is eager to terminate the agreement. Fire stops the final blow and allows her to put her affairs in order.
But now the failure of the deal is not a guaranteed outcome. There is still the possibility that Israeli prisoners will die from Israeli fire if fighting continues, and military operations will result in more casualties among Israeli soldiers and possibly additional prisoners. Ultimately, Israel may pay an additional price because of its government’s difficulties in deciding to pay the price currently being offered.
Accordingly, Netanyahu decided with a majority to approve an expanded cabinet that would include 17 ministers and representatives from all government parties, including the far-right. In Tel Aviv, they estimate that the current deal will end in three payments, after which efforts for other deals will begin, as Hamas holds 239 prisoners, including about 40 soldiers. Hamas demands the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in exchange for them. These will be very difficult and complex negotiations.
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