Israeli reports: Netanyahu and his government are the real obstacle to a prisoner exchange deal

Tel Aviv (Quds News Network) – In a report on Sunday, March 10, 2024, the Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv stated that the claims made by the Israeli national intelligence agency Mossad regarding Hamas’ lack of interest in a prisoner exchange deal are baseless.
Citing a senior Israeli security source, the newspaper reported that the Israeli side is hindering progress in the prisoner exchange negotiations with Hamas. This follows reports indicating internal disagreements within the Israeli government, which have contributed to the stagnation of the talks.
The security source emphasized that the obstacle to progress on the issue of the prisoner exchange lies with the Israeli side. As time passes, the source warned that negotiating may soon become futile, as there will be no remaining hostages to be released.
The report highlighted growing tensions within the Israeli government, with political and professional disagreements reportedly impeding negotiations. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are working towards achieving a ceasefire agreement in Gaza before the start of Ramadan. However, recent talks in Cairo did not yield concrete results.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office, in a statement, confirmed that Mossad Chief David Barnea met with CIA Director William Burns on Friday as part of ongoing efforts to reach a new agreement for the release of hostages.
The statement also asserted that Israel continues to engage with mediators in an effort to strike a deal. However, it claimed that Hamas, at this stage, appears uninterested in a deal and is seeking to escalate tensions in the region during Ramadan at the expense of the Palestinian residents of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected requests from relevant authorities within his government and security apparatus to expand the mandate given to the Israeli delegation responsible for conducting talks aimed at concluding a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. According to official Israeli radio, Netanyahu rejected the proposal due to opposition from political officials in his government who are against a prisoner exchange and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.