Israeli Military Leaders Concerned Over Netanyahu's Lack of Interest in Ceasefire Negotiations

According to SAEDNEWS, A senior official has claimed that there is a significant “chasm” between Netanyahu and the top military officials over a potential ceasefire and negotiations for a hostage deal aimed at returning dozens of Israeli captives from Gaza. This information comes from an article in Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which cites an unnamed senior member of Israel's negotiating team with Hamas.

“There is a chasm between us and the prime minister. Everyone is convinced that Israel’s new additions will blow up the talks, and, conversely, that we have the security tools to handle a deal that doesn’t include them,” the top official stated, reflecting on a tense meeting between Netanyahu and military leaders earlier this week.

According to Channel 12, the July 31 meeting was marked by a heated exchange. Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar remarked, “It feels like the prime minister doesn’t want the framework that’s on the table,” and challenged Netanyahu to clarify his position.

In that same meeting, Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, head of the Missing and Captive Soldiers Division in the IDF, advised Netanyahu against adding new parameters to the negotiation framework, warning that “all the parameters you’ve added will not be accepted and there will be no deal.”

Mossad chief David Barnea also urged Netanyahu during the discussion, saying, “There is a deal on the table. If we delay, we could miss the opportunity. We have to take it.”

Netanyahu reportedly reacted with anger during the meeting, accusing his military chiefs of being “soft.” He claimed, "You don’t know how to negotiate. You’re putting words in my mouth. Instead of pressuring me, pressure [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar."

As reported by Haaretz, the military team has offered to draft an improved proposal for Netanyahu, in contrast to the current terms that include changes he insisted on, such as military control over Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor and the Egyptian border. Netanyahu has rejected the notion of revising the proposal, expressing a preference to negotiate the existing deal “on his own terms.”

Netanyahu’s office later denied Channel 12’s claims, asserting that Hamas has not agreed to the deal's terms. The statement alleged, “It even remains unclear if Hamas had backed down from its demand for an Israeli commitment to end the war and completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip, without the option of resuming the fighting.”

This week, Hamas condemned Netanyahu for obstructing a ceasefire in Gaza by introducing new conditions and demands to a US truce proposal, which followed recent discussions in Rome mediated by other parties. The movement criticized Netanyahu’s “strategy of procrastination, stalling, and evading” an agreement.

Since January, indirect talks have been ongoing between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, with the goal of reaching a deal to end hostilities in Gaza and facilitate a prisoner swap involving Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.

The struggle between the two sides has been characterized by ongoing negotiations over a three-phased proposal outlined by mediators.

As Israel's military offensive in Gaza approaches its tenth month, vast areas of the territory have been devastated. Nearly 40,000 people, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives since October 7, and thousands more are feared dead under the rubble. Despite months of violence, Israel has not achieved its stated objectives of “destroying Hamas” or securing the release of Israeli captives.