Israel's Netanyahu not interested in comprehensive Gaza cease-fire deal: Former defense minister

By Abderaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not interested in a comprehensive cease-fire agreement to end the war in Gaza, a former Israeli defense minister said on Friday.

“The entire defense establishment agrees that it is time to reach a comprehensive deal to end the Gaza war, but Netanyahu is not interested in that,” Gadi Eisenkot said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Maariv.

"There is nothing to wait for. After all, the achievements and conditions in Gaza are far better than those in Lebanon, and the threat from Gaza is significantly less than that from Lebanon. Yet, a cease-fire was agreed upon in Lebanon, but not in Gaza,” he added.

Questioning Netanyahu's stance, a senior leader of the opposition National Unity Party remarked: "What is he afraid of? A cease-fire can always be reversed. It seems there is an attempt to buy more time."

On Thursday, Israeli politicians claimed that "serious and advanced communications" were taking place concerning a potential prisoner swap and cease-fire in Gaza, as part of a "new proposal presented by Egypt” to both Israel and Hamas, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.

However, there has been no official announcement from Cairo or Hamas on this development.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 44,500 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.

Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi