Netanyahu Moves to Collapse Prisoner Deal After Returning from Washington, Report

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to derail the prisoner deal with the resistance, Haaretz reported citing sources. They say the Israeli delegation heading to Qatar has no authority to advance the deal’s second phase.

“This is just a show,” one source said. “Netanyahu is making it clear that he doesn’t want to proceed. He is sending a team without a mandate or any real power.”

The source noted that Netanyahu’s poll numbers dropped after the first prisoner release within the prisoner deal. “Right-wing voters see that Hamas is not defeated. Its fighters still walk around armed. Signs at the Gaza celebrations mocked Netanyahu and his promise of ‘total victory.’ He knows his government won’t survive if he moves forward with the deal.”

Another source warned that Netanyahu’s strategy could even collapse the deal’s first phase. “Right now, things are moving—hostages are being freed. But Hamas expects a second phase with a ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. If it realizes that won’t happen, it might stop the first phase, too,” he said.

“Hamas isn’t stupid. It sees how negotiations are politicized. Netanyahu placed his loyalists Ron Dermer and Gal Hirsch in key roles. Far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and others threaten to dismantle the government over the deal. Hamas will figure out where this is headed,” the source added.

While Israel’s delegation to Qatar was supposed to launch talks on the deal’s second phase, a government official said it will only discuss “technical details.” Senior officials refused to clarify what those details include.

Under the agreement between Hamas and Israel, talks on the second phase were set to begin last Monday. Netanyahu hesitated for days before deciding against a high-level summit in Doha. Instead, after a call with US envoy Steve Witkoff, he chose a one-on-one meeting in Washington. The decision to send the Israeli delegation to Doha came only after that meeting, signaling movement in the talks. However, Netanyahu’s aides already made clear that the team would not receive a real mandate until the cabinet meeting this week.