Netanyahu omits key date of agreement on prisoner exchange deal in recent speech

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- In a recent speech to the Israelis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoided mentioning a crucial date when all members of the Israeli War Cabinet agreed on a proposed prisoner exchange deal, according to former Israeli War Cabinet member Gadi Eizenkot.

Speaking to Israel Army Radio on Tuesday, Eizenkot highlighted that Netanyahu’s speech on Monday covered a range of dates from May to July but deliberately skipped over May 27. According to Eizenkot, this was the date when all War Cabinet members had agreed on a proposal aimed at securing the return of Israeli prisoners.

Eizenkot further claimed that Netanyahu refrained from presenting the proposal to the broader Israeli cabinet due to pressure from two key coalition partners, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. These ministers have opposed the exchange deal, instead advocating for the expansion of settlements in Gaza. Eizenkot implied that Netanyahu is politically constrained by these partners, suggesting they have significant influence over his decisions.

In his Monday speech, Netanyahu referenced several dates between May and July, claiming that Israel had agreed to a prisoner exchange proposal, only for Hamas to reject it. However, Netanyahu’s narrative appears to omit key developments. The proposed deal, which was presented by US President Joe Biden on May 31, received unanimous approval from Israel’s War Cabinet, as confirmed by Eizenkot.

Hamas, for its part, had shown willingness to engage with the proposed exchange, responding to mediators with their acceptance of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement on July 2. Nevertheless, Hamas stated that Netanyahu imposed new conditions that were not part of the original agreement suggested by Biden.