Israeli Writer: Netanyahu and Dermer are Creating Pretexts to Prolong the War in Gaza

SadaNews - Israeli investigative journalist Ronen Bergman reveals the behind-the-scenes of the negotiations regarding the Israeli captives in Gaza, describing it as a "composite image" led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - wanted by the International Criminal Court - and his close associate, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

Bergman points out in an article in Yedioth Ahronoth that Netanyahu and Dermer monopolize the decision and shape it according to internal political calculations rather than military or humanitarian considerations.

He affirms that Netanyahu's recent announcement, insisting on a comprehensive agreement that guarantees the release of all captives at once, is merely using this stance as a smokescreen to delay any resolution in the negotiations, and to keep the war open for a long time.

A Decision Restricted to Two Men

This summary comes through Bergman's communications with four senior officials from various government, military, and intelligence circles, who spoke about the intentions of the "mysterious" men who hold the secret of the decision on how Israel will respond to the mediators' proposal that was accepted by the Hamas movement.

Bergman, who enjoys a reputation as a journalist with a wide network of sources inside security and intelligence agencies, reports that these officials know nothing about the decisions that these two men harbor, and that all that pertains to the Israeli response to Hamas' recent offer is unknown even to senior officials in the security and military apparatus. They indicate that although Israel has not sent a negotiating mission to Doha, there is a possibility that this mission could emerge by the end of the week or the beginning of the next week.

According to Bergman, most military and security officials have become convinced that there is no escaping a temporary partial deal, by releasing a number of captives in exchange for a temporary ceasefire, and then moving on to a new phase of negotiation. They say that as soon as Netanyahu agrees, the deal could be closed within days, but the Prime Minister prefers to procrastinate and avoid a definitive decision, which puts the lives of the captives at increasing risk.

A "Smoke Screen" with a Political Background

The Israeli investigative journalist points out the paradox that Netanyahu himself used to emphasize the importance of "interim deals" in the past, but today he has turned on this position and started to explain why they are no longer suitable. He views this shift as not genuine, but merely a tool used by Netanyahu to conceal his intentions of not ending the war, and to keep shifting the ball to Hamas' court.

Bergman describes this stance as a smoke screen that conceals Netanyahu's plan to prolong the war, as according to the recent decision of the cabinet, the war will not end until Hamas is completely eradicated and the civil administration in Gaza is handed over to an international body that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, while Israel retains security control. In this context, he indicates that the army itself has estimated that achieving that requires 3 to 5 years at least, representing a long-term open war with no political horizon.

According to Bergman, this option necessarily means abandoning a large part of the captives, as any ground operation deep into Gaza would directly threaten their lives.

Bergman also confirms, citing intelligence sources, that Hamas has made tangible concessions, such as accepting the principle of a partial deal, accepting the release of only some Palestinian captives sentenced to life imprisonment, and releasing some captives only in exchange for the bodies of Israeli soldiers, but Hamas demanded solid guarantees to continue negotiations after the expiration of the 60-day truce period.

He sees that Israel has ignored this flexibility, continuing to cling to its media stance of "no partial deals."

The Failure of "Gideon's Vehicles"

Bergman highlights what Colonel (Res.) Doron Hedar, former commander of the negotiations unit in the army, says, warning that any procrastination represents a "crime against the captives." Despite Hamas bearing the primary responsibility for their captivity, Israel bears the responsibility to rescue them, especially since 41 captives entered Gaza alive and some later died due to the delayed resolution.

The investigative journalist holds Netanyahu directly responsible for the failure to reach an agreement, as he succumbed to pressures from the right-wing opposition to any concession, thwarting even the American initiatives proposed to open direct channels with Hamas.

Bergman also points out that the results of the "Gideon's Vehicles" operation, which the army considered will be decisive, were contrary; it did not achieve the primary goal of freeing the captives, nor was it able to eliminate Hamas. In fact, intelligence assessments showed that the number of fighters in the movement returned almost to its previous level after months of fighting, resembling an "endless time loop."

He states, "At the beginning of the ground incursion, intelligence assessed Hamas' strength at 24,000 fighters and Islamic Jihad at 6,000. Israel then announced that it had killed more than 15,000. Yet, shortly before the 'Gideon's Vehicles' operation, it was estimated that Hamas again had 24,000 fighters and jihad had 6,000!"

In conclusion, the article presents a bleak picture: Israel is trapped in a no-solution equation; while it refuses to progress in a partial deal, it is also unable to end the war militarily. The result - according to Bergman - is the continuation of a long-term war of attrition, for which the captives first pay the price, followed by the Israeli army, while the international community starts to press more and more on Israel.