Families of Israeli Prisoners Call for Pressure on Netanyahu Before Resuming Talks

The families of Israeli prisoners called today, Saturday, on U.S. President Joe Biden to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude a prisoner exchange deal this week, amid anticipation of what Israeli media described as a “crucial” meeting tomorrow between mediators in the Egyptian capital.

The families stressed during a press conference that Netanyahu continues to sabotage the exchange deal due to his conditions, particularly those related to the Philadelphi Corridor, which has become a point of contention in the negotiations.

They noted that Netanyahu is systematically obstructing the deal and acting according to political interests, saying to the U.S. President, “Netanyahu is deceiving you and doing the opposite of what he says, and you should not trust him.”

The families of the detained Israelis said there is an opportunity to save their loved ones, adding that the Cairo negotiations are their last chance after many rounds of failed talks.

Earlier today, a delegation from the Hamas movement, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo to meet with senior Egyptian intelligence officials to be updated on the ongoing negotiations, without participating in the ongoing round of talks in the Egyptian capital.

In a related development, Hamas renewed its commitment to what it agreed on last July 2, based on Biden’s announcement and the UN Security Council resolution regarding the ceasefire in Gaza and the prisoner exchange. It called for pressure on the occupation to enforce and stop obstructing the agreement.

Regarding the upcoming meeting tomorrow, official and media circles in Israel described the meeting between the delegation and mediators in Cairo as crucial concerning the future of efforts to achieve a prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza.

According to a senior Israeli official, as reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, Israel has made significant concessions that have reduced gaps, specifically regarding the future of the Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Egypt has rejected the presence of any Israeli military forces in this corridor but has promised to transfer it to Hamas.

The Israeli news website “Walla” reported that tomorrow’s anticipated summit in Cairo will be attended by CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The same source added that the Israeli side has handed maps to the Egyptian side showing the locations of military deployment in the Gaza Strip and the Philadelphi Corridor during the implementation of the first phase of the proposed prisoner exchange deal, and Egypt will, in turn, hand these maps to Hamas.

Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have been jointly mediating for months, trying to reach an agreement between Hamas and Israel that includes a ceasefire in Gaza and an exchange of prisoners and detainees.