Media: Israeli PM repeatedly attempted to derail Gaza negotiations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made multiple attempts to undermine negotiations regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, which are currently at a standstill.

From the beginning, both Western and Arab nations have viewed reaching an agreement to end the conflict in Gaza as the sole effective means to avert a full-scale war in the Middle East, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

For some involved in the mediation, the events of July confirmed their longstanding fears: Netanyahu was not willing to agree to a ceasefire and was intent on sabotaging the process by repeatedly imposing new conditions, undermining Barnea's efforts.

"As the mediators continue their work under these complex circumstances, it has become increasingly evident that Netanyahu is actively trying to derail those efforts," said an official engaged in the negotiations. Since the July meeting in Rome, discussions have been stalled. 

As Israel commemorated the tragic anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 hostages, the Middle East has edged closer to a broader conflict that the mediators sought to avert. Currently, negotiations are "further than ever" from reaching an agreement, according to the official.

Another source familiar with the diplomatic efforts remarked, "We've lost sight of our direction and don’t know where we're headed, like being adrift at sea without land in sight." Despite this, US officials remained determined, expressing their commitment to reviving the talks weeks after the July meeting. 

Last month, they indicated a final push was imminent. At the UN General Assembly, Biden stated, "Now is the time for the parties to finalize terms, bring the hostages home... ease the suffering in Gaza, and end this war."

Just three days after Biden's speech, Israel carried out the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah, one of its most formidable adversaries. Western and Arab diplomats have asserted that Hezbollah had no involvement or prior knowledge of Hamas's October 7 attack. 

However, Hezbollah joined the Palestinian militants in retaliatory strikes against Israel in the days that followed, launching rockets into northern Israel and displacing 60,000 residents living near the border. Nasrallah has consistently stated he would cease his operations only if Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.

By Naila Huseynova