A report by Amale Chehadeh, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine
In last-ditch efforts to prevent the war from expanding, Israeli, US, Qatari, and Egyptian teams are working to develop solutions for the disputed terms of the hostage exchange deal, based on the proposal that US President Joe Biden announced would be presented soon, which Israel expects to be announced on Friday.
Israeli officials have downplayed expectations that this proposal will bring any major changes, although it is expected to focus on reducing the Israeli army's presence at the Philadelphi Corridor and making adjustments regarding the inspection of those crossing into northern Gaza.
Pessimism about completing the deal soon coincided with revelations that Mossad Chief David Barnea had previously informed mediators of the agreement to withdraw from the crossing in the second phase of the deal, without coordinating with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Barnea is not the only one defying Netanyahu. Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi rejected Netanyahu's request for the army to form logistical teams to carry out humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, considering the step as unnecessarily risky and problematic since international organizations are responsible for that task.
These acts of defiance against Netanyahu have received public and political support, as efforts intensify both locally and internationally to finalize the deal.
However, this growing pressure inside and outside Israel has not changed the prime minister’s position, who is supported by a far-right coalition that opposes the deal. A leaked document revealed contradictions between the hostage exchange deal proposed in May and the one presented in July, exposing Netanyahu's claim of supporting the deal as untrue.
The May agreement's key clause regarding the Philadelphi Corridor indicated that the agreement would eventually lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. In contrast, the revised July document stated that the "re-deployment of the Israeli army will be according to the maps included in Annex 1, including "Map 3," which refers to the Philadelphi Route, implying that army forces would remain there. The document contained no mention of a complete withdrawal at any stage.
Regarding the inspection of returnees, especially through the Netzarim Corridor, the differences between May and July were clear. The Israeli proposal in May stated that returnees to the northern Gaza Strip during ceasefire days would not be armed, and Israel would relinquish checkpoints and inspection measures. However, Netanyahu amended this clause in July, adding that the "return (without arms) will be agreed upon in advance," reopening discussions on any mechanism that would be agreed upon by both sides.
The issues surrounding the crossings and returnees are just a small part of the many amendments Netanyahu made to the agreement, ultimately derailing the hostage exchange deal and ceasefire.