Ceasefire negotiations: Netanyahu's conditions cast doubt on Gaza deal

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid out five conditions for any potential deal with Hamas, as conveyed by the Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea in Cairo. 

These conditions, outlined after a lengthy session between Netanyahu and the negotiating team, must be met to resume fighting until the war aims are achieved. These aims include the destruction of Hamas' military capabilities, its ability to govern, and the return of all Israeli hostages.

Netanyahu's conditions, perceived by many as a return to square one, are as follows: resuming the fight until the war's objectives are fulfilled, preventing the smuggling of weapons to Hamas from Egypt into Gaza, blocking the return of thousands of Palestinian militants to northern Gaza, rejecting the proposed number of live Israeli hostages to be returned in the first phase and seeking to increase it, and ensuring that President Biden's proposal to secure the return of prisoners does not interfere with the continuation of combat operations after the last hostage is returned.

These conditions emerged after Hamas agreed to commence prisoner negotiations in the first phase without a permanent ceasefire, with ongoing negotiations in the second phase under an extended truce.

A new, undisclosed condition involves the inspection of Gazans returning to northern Gaza, which even Israeli security agencies see as a potential hindrance to the deal.

Netanyahu's stipulations have dampened optimism in Israel, particularly as fighting intensifies in northern Gaza, in areas such as Tel al-Hawa, Sabra, al-Daraj, and al-Rimal. 

According to Palestinians, the combat is the fiercest since the start of the war, resulting in dozens of deaths and raising concerns about undermining efforts to reach a prisoner exchange deal that could end the war.