Tel Aviv, MINA – Israeli Democratic Party leader Yair Golan on Saturday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a potential prisoner swap and ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza, asserting that the current government must be removed to save lives and protect the country.
“The New York Times investigation only reinforces what everyone already knows: Netanyahu, [Finance Minister] Smotrich, and [National Security Minister] Ben Gvir are preventing a deal to survive politically,” Golan posted on social media platform X as cited by Anadolu Agency.
According to Golan, the trio prioritize their political survival over the lives of Israeli hostages and soldiers, calling them “an extreme minority dragging an entire country into the abyss.” He added, “They are once again derailing the deal.”
Golan’s comments came in response to a New York Times investigation published Friday, which alleged that Netanyahu deliberately maintained his coalition at the cost of securing a hostage deal.
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On Wednesday, Hamas said it had agreed to release 10 living Israeli hostages as a gesture of “flexibility” to push forward a prisoner swap and ceasefire agreement. However, Israel continues to demand the establishment of a security buffer zone in Gaza, 2 to 3 kilometers wide in Rafah and 1 to 2 kilometers along other borders remaining inflexible on key issues.
Despite international pressure, Israel has continued its military offensive on Gaza since late October 2023, which has resulted in the deaths of nearly 58,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children. The assault has led to the near-total destruction of the enclave, causing severe shortages of food and the rapid spread of disease. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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