Future of Gaza ceasefire unclear: Netanyahu ignores security chiefs

Future of Gaza ceasefire unclear: Netanyahu ignores security chiefs

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a significant step to bring negotiations over a possible revival of the Gaza ceasefire under his personal control. He has appointed a close political confidant as the new negotiator for the second phase of the current ceasefire, replacing the previous negotiator.

New conduct of negotiations on Gaza issues

"In the coming days, Israel will enter into negotiations on Phase B, which is a political phase and deals with the conditions for ending the war," an Israeli source told CNN. “The Israeli effort will be led by Secretary of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and he will do so in the presence of the US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.”

Change in the conduct of negotiations

Dermer replaces David Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, who led the January talks that led to the current agreement. The Israeli government has not yet confirmed whether Barnea will remain part of the negotiating team.

Ceasefire and hostage negotiations

Talks on the second phase of the ceasefire, which would include the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of all living hostages, were due to begin more than two weeks ago. Although Netanyahu now says the talks will begin, it remains unclear how committed the prime minister is to completing them successfully. Its finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has threatened to leave the ruling coalition if Israel does not return to war in Gaza once the current ceasefire expires on March 1.

New pressure on Hamas and hostage rescue

The shift in Israel's negotiating approach comes as Hamas announced it would release the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest Israelis, Kfir and Ariel Bibas. The militant group is expected to release six live hostages on Saturday and four more bodies next week - all in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Israel's influence on the security authorities

Barnea's replacement will marginalize the Israeli security establishment, with which Netanyahu is often at odds. Ronen Bar, the head of the Israel Security Service (Shin Bet), will not be part of the new negotiating team. Allies of Netanyahu have called for Bar to be fired after reports that the Shin Bet is investigating members of the prime minister's office for inappropriately lobbying for Qatari interests - something his office denies.

Future of talks and military options

A second Israeli source said the government now wants to push Hamas for more hostages and extend phase one, explaining: "Right now the goal is to get as many live hostages as possible," especially given the poor health of three hostages released earlier this month.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar explained that phase two may be delayed if they believe there is "a constructive dialogue with a possible horizon for an agreement." He added that if Israel believes “the negotiations are going in no direction,” the military will resume the war in Gaza.

News from Cairo

Hamas negotiators in Cairo appear to be accelerating the handover of their commitments under the 42-day phase one agreement and have unveiled a timetable for the return of the final 14 hostages, 33 of whom were to be released by mutual agreement in phase one - all expected to be completed by next week.

Change in Hamas' attitude

This represents a reversal from the terror group, which just last week had threatened to completely derail the talks by saying it would no longer hand over hostages because Israel had failed to fulfill the terms of the deal, including allowing the import of prefabricated houses and heavy equipment into Gaza.

Trump's proposal and reactions

Netanyahu's office recently said that only a small amount of caravans and heavy equipment had been brought into Gaza, saying this would "have no impact on the viability of the Trump plan for voluntary immigration and the creation of a different Gaza - to which Prime Minister Netanyahu remains fully committed."

US President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States “own Gaza” and relocate the 2.1 million Palestinians who live there to “nice locations” in other Middle Eastern countries. That proposal was welcomed by Netanyahu but sharply criticized by Palestinian and Arab leaders, who characterized it as ethnic cleansing.

Challenges for Netanyahu

It remains unclear what influenced Hamas's decision to recommit to releasing the hostages. President Trump had threatened that "all hell will break loose" for Hamas if the group does not release all hostages by last Saturday - a deadline that passed without incident.

Trump envoy Witkoff outlined the challenges facing Netanyahu: "It's just a little more complicated how we bring the two sides together on this, because phase two is the end of the war, but also Hamas being out of the government and leaving Gaza. So we have to reconcile those two things," he told Fox News on Sunday.