Netanyahu slammed by US for 'maximalist' demands in Gaza ceasefire talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire from US officials for making “maximalist statements” that are “not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line” in ongoing negotiations to end Israel’s aggression on Gaza.

The criticism came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, meeting with key regional leaders including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Netanyahu himself. During these talks, Blinken presented a “bridging proposal” aimed at addressing key issues and bringing Israel and Hamas closer to a deal.

The US “bridging proposal,” presented by Blinken during his Middle East tour, aims to address key issues and bring Israel and Hamas closer to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The proposal reportedly includes a detailed plan for the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza, with Blinken stating that the agreement is clear on the schedule and locations of Israeli army withdrawals. However, when pressed on whether this meant a full withdrawal, Blinken declined to provide specifics.

Israel: sources accuse Blinken of sabotaging Gaza ceasefire talks

Despite the US efforts, the proposal has faced criticism from both sides. Netanyahu insists on maintaining Israeli military control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, which has become a significant hurdle in negotiations. Meanwhile, Hamas has rejected the proposal, stating that it deviates from President Joe Biden’s original outline announced in May and includes additional demands from Netanyahu that the group finds unacceptable.

Crucially, the current proposal does not guarantee a permanent ceasefire or the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages, marking a significant departure from the previous three-phase roadmap Hamas agreed to but was rejected by Israel.

“It seems, from my view, the US is accepting the latest Israeli conditions, but trying to water them down to some extent,” said Hugh Lovatt, an expert on Israel-Palestine for the European Council for Foreign Relations (ECFR). “This [proposal] is basically a bridge between the US and Israel and not Israel and Hamas,” he added.

Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining Israeli military control over the Philadelphi Corridor has emerged as a major hurdle. The Israeli prime minister reportedly told relatives of Israeli captives that “Israel won’t leave the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor under any circumstances.”

Read: Hamas slams US statements as ‘coup’ against 2 July agreement

A senior US official travelling with Blinken, speaking on condition of anonymity, sharply rebuked Netanyahu’s stance. “Maximalist statements like this are not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line and they certainly risk the ability of implementing level, working level and technical talks to be able to move forward,” the official is reported saying.

Hamas’ has rejected the deal because it concedes to several key Israeli demands and focuses primarily on maintaining control over Gaza. Israel’s demands include the retention of the 18-year-old illegal occupation and blockade on Gaza, allowing the Israeli occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing, which severely restricts the movement of Palestinians. This means that residents of Gaza will continue to face travel bans and movement restrictions, particularly affecting patients, students and the wounded.

Additionally, the deal permits Israel to continue occupying the Netzarim Corridor, effectively dividing Gaza into two parts, with displaced persons from northern Gaza cut off from the south. This corridor is crucial as it houses the only cancer hospital in Gaza, which the Israeli military is currently using as a base. The deal also allows for the creation of a two-kilometre-wide buffer zone along the Gaza-Israel fence, meaning that about one-third of Gaza will remain under occupation, leaving hundreds of thousands of people unable to return to their homes.

Despite hopes for a ceasefire, the deal does not guarantee the free entry of humanitarian aid, nor does it address the restoration of essential infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and homes. These issues are deferred to a second phase of negotiations, which may never materialise, as Netanyahu insists on resuming bombings after the initial phase of the deal.

Read: Netanyahu making statements to deliberately sabotage truce talks, Israel negotiators say