Israeli Official: No Return to Previous Withdrawal Lines, Negotiations Face Many Difficulties

SadaNews - An Israeli official participating in the indirect negotiations with Hamas currently taking place in the Qatari capital, Doha, stated, "We will not return to the lines of March or January, and what the various reports address is baseless and has no foundation," referring to the Israeli army's withdrawal lines from Gaza during the ceasefire agreement at that time which Israel reneged on, resuming its war on Gaza on March 18, 2025.

He referred to the withdrawal from the "Morag" axis, saying, "We came here with a mandate and working space from the Prime Minister. Dermer (who heads the negotiating team) and Netanyahu are in daily contact with us. The Israeli position and flexibility regarding the negotiations are good, and we have made progress on some issues, unlike other issues in light of significant stubbornness from Hamas."

He considered that "the Israeli team has made great strides towards reaching an agreement, although the negotiations still face many difficulties, and Israel is willing to exhaust negotiation avenues. However, given Hamas's stubbornness, doubts have started to seep in regarding its intentions, and questions about the future of the negotiations are increasing."

The Israeli official added, "We have been working for two weeks in Cairo to open a path addressing humanitarian issues, and there is active engagement from the mediators." He pointed out that "the mediators presented a proposal yesterday that is being reviewed by both parties. By Sunday, we will have spent two weeks here."

He pointed out that "Hamas is putting an obstacle before the negotiations regarding the issue of prisoner keys, delaying the achievement of a ceasefire, and insisting on not entering into discussions on this matter. We see this issue as obstructing the ceasefire and harming the residents of Gaza."

He believed that "the moment Hamas opens the door on this issue, we can make progress on other issues: humanitarian and military repositioning, among others. At this stage, the negotiating team remains in Doha in an attempt to exhaust the negotiations."