Families of Israeli captives accuse Netanyahu of 'thwarting' swap deal

During the press conference, the families held up a large banner listing the names of all the captives held in Gaza, according to the official broadcasting authority. (Photo/AP)

Families of Israeli captives in Gaza have accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “systematically thwarting” the swap deal with the Palestinian factions, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

During a press conference held by the families in front of the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tel Aviv on Saturday, they said:

“Since early July, a deal has been ready for signing, but Netanyahu's new conditions, particularly the Philadelphi Route, are blocking it.”

“It’s not the Philadelphi Route but a Philadelphi spin," said the mother of captive Matan Zangauker, implying that Netanyahu is using the Philadelphia Corridor as a pretext to avoid the deal.

"Most of the public and even those within the government understand that to save lives, we need a deal first, even at the cost of pausing the war,” the families continued.

They called on US President Joe Biden to pressure Netanyahu's government to finalise the exchange deal.

Philadelphi Corridor

Netanyahu has pledged to US President Joe Biden that the Israeli army will withdraw one kilometre from the 14-kilometre-long Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border while leaving a minimal number of military sites in the area.

The pledge comes as part of ongoing discussions bet ween Israel and the US regarding the military offensive on Gaza and the broader implications for regional security, reports Israel's Channel 12.

The broadcaster claimed that Egypt has agreed to provide Hamas with updated maps of Israeli army positions in the Philadelphi Corridor, although Cairo has made no official statement on the matter.

The Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometre (8.69-mile) demilitarised buffer zone along the border between Gaza and Egypt, remains one of the major sticking points in Israel-Hamas negotiations.

Neither the Israeli government nor the US administration has issued an official statement on the reported pledge.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in over 40,300 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,000 injuries, according to local health authorities.

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Source: TRT