Netanyahu not interested in Gaza ceasefire deal: ex-defence minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not interested in a comprehensive ceasefire agreement to end the war in Gaza, a former Israeli defence minister said today.

“The entire defence 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 ceasefire 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 ceasefire can always be reversed. It seems there is an attempt to buy more time.”

Yesterday, Israeli politicians claimed that “serious and advanced communications” were taking place concerning a potential prisoner swap and ceasefire 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 prisoner swap agreement have failed over Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

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