Before Changing His Policy: Netanyahu Rejected a Comprehensive Deal for Prisoners Proposed by the Army

SadaNews - The Israeli army, led by former Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi, attempted to push for an agreement that included the release of all prisoners, aiming to prepare the conditions for the "defeat of Hamas without restrictions". However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this proposal, considering it a "defeat", according to the Israeli public broadcasting corporation (Kan 11) on Friday evening. The channel reported that "during the months leading up to the invasion of Rafah (in May 2024), Halevi requested to formulate a single-stage proposal that included the release of all prisoners and the ending of the war." It added that "a team of officers in the operations and strategic division devised several scenarios to present at the political level regarding how to decisively deal with Hamas even after the aforementioned agreement." It pointed out that "the idea was that after all prisoners returned to Israel, it would be easier to decide the battle against Hamas, but the political level immediately rejected the proposal." In one of the meetings of the small cabinet, according to the report, Halevi presented the proposal, but Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected it, considering it a "defeat". The channel quoted informed sources stating that "the plan was swiftly dismissed to the point that it was not even placed on the negotiating team's table." According to the channel, the plan approved in May 2024 was multi-stage and included "the release of all prisoners and the end of the war only with the completion of the agreement." It added that "this plan has already come into effect" following Trump's return to power, referring to the recent exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas that Netanyahu's government violated and rejected "advancing to the second stage due to the latter's decision, which was supposed to entail the release of all living prisoners." The report noted that "after a year and a half, the Prime Minister's policy changed, as he is now only willing for a full agreement that includes the release of all prisoners and the ending of the war according to the conditions that Israel is prepared for," as stated. Hamas confirmed on Wednesday its readiness for a comprehensive deal under which all Israeli prisoners held in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners within an agreement that ends the war, indicating that it is still waiting for a response from Tel Aviv regarding the proposal from the mediators that the movement and Palestinian factions agreed to. In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly commented on Hamas's statement, saying in a statement issued by his office: "Unfortunately, this is another attempt by Hamas that brings nothing new," seemingly an attempt to contain public anger in Israel amid escalating protests demanding an end to the war and a political agreement that secures the return of all prisoners. Netanyahu mentioned that "the war can end immediately, according to the conditions set by the cabinet: 1. The release of all hostages. 2. The disarmament of Hamas. 3. The disarmament of the sector. 4. Israeli security control over the sector. 5. The formation of an alternative civilian government that does not nurture terrorism, does not export terrorism, and does not threaten Israel."