Some enemy prisoners were killed directly by live bullets from the occupation. Netanyahu and his team do not care about the prisoners. When Netanyahu was asked to choose between Philadelphia and the prisoners, he said, “Philadelphia is more important than the prisoners,” and this is publicly known.
Netanyahu displays bravado and attempts to portray false heroics here and there. These six were directly killed by the occupation and were also targeted in bombings and other actions, as were many before them. I provide here an example of one of them, an “israeli” youth who holds American citizenship.
This young man, for purely humanitarian reasons requested by his family and through the intervention of many people via the Qatari brothers, asked for assurances about his life for purely humanitarian reasons. We responded for humanitarian and political reasons, to push toward progress in concluding a real deal. We handed the Qatari brothers a video of this young man speaking with his mother and father.
The young man addressed the “israeli” government. After this video, and before some time, Al-Qassam announced that they had lost contact with him and those guarding him, clearly indicating that he was subjected to a direct strike by the “israeli” occupation. Since that day, nothing was known about his life, and today he was found dead with a group of others, which is clear evidence that the occupation targets these individuals.
All stages of negotiation have shown that Netanyahu is not interested in reaching a deal. Instead of sending his army to kill and destroy an entire area to recover two or three prisoners, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, he could have retrieved them through a real exchange deal, as we did last November.
In November and December, more than 115 to 125 “israelis” and foreigners returned through negotiations conducted with the desire, will, and mediation of Qatar. This is an example of how, if Netanyahu truly wanted a prisoner exchange, we were immediately ready. We have shown great flexibility and made significant concessions to achieve an exchange deal, halt aggression and war, and end the suffering of the people.
The United States is responsible for obstructing the negotiations; it does not want to reach a deal and has withdrawn from its previous commitments. Briefly looking back, since last March there have been indirect negotiations between us, the mediator brothers, and the occupation. We stopped at the points of a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, the withdrawal of the occupation, and reconstruction.
Our demand for the exchange included high standards, such as 500 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for every soldier and female soldier, and 250 for others. When the mediators indicated there would be a significant opportunity if we showed flexibility in the exchange criteria, we immediately responded, reducing from 500 to 50 for the female soldiers and from 250 to 30 for the civilians.
The mediators, including the Americans, received this flexibility positively. But what did the occupation do? They disregarded it and began a new maneuver in May. In May, the Egyptian mediator brothers presented a complete agreement, to which we immediately agreed. The next day, what did the occupation do? They stormed the Rafah crossing, which remains closed.
We submitted our comments on this document. Then the Americans stated that there was a great opportunity to reach an agreement if we made a minor adjustment in wording without affecting the essence, assuring that all our demands could be met. We then submitted a document based on the “israeli” proposal we had agreed upon.
We raised inquiries to the mediators, and the Americans and “israelis” assured them that all our inquiries were answered. Among these inquiries were questions regarding Philadelphia, “Netzarim,” and exit from the Rafah crossing. They informed us that the same conditions apply as those for the withdrawal of the “israeli” army from Gaza in the first phase, specifically along the eastern borders.
Some leaders of the “israeli” occupation welcomed the move and said that Hamas had opened the door for an agreement, and the Americans welcomed it as well. But what did Netanyahu do after July 2? Before going to America and in front of Congress, he set new conditions that contradicted the previous ones, specifically those in the “israeli” document dated May 27, which he had adopted.
Netanyahu clearly stated that there would be no exit from “Netzarim” or Philadelphia. I state clearly here that without a full withdrawal and exit from Gaza, there is no agreement. Netanyahu wants to continue the war and does not want to reach a deal because a deal has a real price, and he is not willing to pay that price.
Netanyahu stated in his document that they want to deport 50 prisoners sentenced to life after their release, but after July 2, the number was raised from 50 to 150.
Among Netanyahu’s new conditions is that no Palestinian serving a life sentence should be released, even if they are elderly or ill, which contradicts the “israeli” document dated May 27.
In every clause, Netanyahu added a new condition that disrupts the document he himself proposed, including the issues of Philadelphia and “Netzarim.” I state clearly and reiterate: unless the Palestinian prisoners are released, the war stops, and the “israeli” occupation withdraws, particularly from Philadelphia, there will be no agreement. The obstacles now are significant.
Netanyahu must adhere to what was agreed upon, and the Americans must compel the “israeli” occupation to honor what it proposed and mediated.
Currently, there are no real negotiations, only stalling and wasting time. Unfortunately, negotiations have been ongoing for two weeks, but it is like “grinding water.”
Unfortunately, the American administration is operating on two tracks: first, it claims to want to reach an agreement but does not pressure the “israelis”. Second, it spreads a false atmosphere of optimism and positivity.
We asked the mediators on Thursday what they had agreed upon over the past two weeks. They replied that they had not reached anything with the occupation and had asked the occupation to provide solutions to all the disputed issues. Unfortunately, today the negotiations revolve around Netanyahu’s new conditions.
This situation is unacceptable in the world of negotiation. The Americans are not pressuring the occupation and are trying to create a sense of optimism, perhaps for their own purposes, without achieving any real progress.
We have made it clear to the mediators that the movement remains committed to the decision agreed upon on July 2, based on the “israeli” document adopted by the Americans. We cannot continue circling the same point and starting each day with new negotiations while the “israelis” are not interested in reaching an agreement.
If the occupation is not compelled to adhere to the conditions of July 2, we will not engage in negotiations. They talk back and forth, but when we asked if they had reached any agreement, they answered that they had not reached any agreement on any point and could not force the occupation to back down from its new conditions.
The primary obstacle today is the withdrawal from the Philadelphia Axis, which is a decisive condition. Without withdrawal from Philadelphia, the Rafah crossing, and “Netzarim,” there will be no agreement.
The Palestinian-Egyptian Rafah crossing must be managed by the Palestinians, and the occupation must leave Philadelphia and the Rafah crossing. The complex issue of the exchange deal faces new obstacles set by Netanyahu, which were not present in the May 27 or July 2 documents.
What is happening in the northern West Bank is clear evidence that this fascist Nazi government does not recognize the existence of the Palestinian people or Palestine. They are attempting to change the demographics in the West Bank, storming the camps, and destroying Palestinian infrastructure.
The aggression in the West Bank today has added to the complexity, but the Palestinians will not surrender. The resistance in Gaza and the West Bank continues, and the people remain steadfast and firm; the occupation will not celebrate the surrender of the Palestinians.
Since the arrival of this fascist government, look at what they are doing with settlements, Al-Quds, and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The “israeli” occupation wants to impose a reality on the ground in all areas, and the “israeli” government is sponsoring zionist terrorism and extremism. What is the so-called free world that claims to support the rights of peoples doing?
For the first time, the zionist government will spend its money on settlers who desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque. What does this mean? It means that the “israeli” government is sponsoring zionist terrorism and extremism and supporting these actions with all available means.
The occupation will not find any surrender from the Palestinian people. When the people see their rights being stolen and realize there is no hope in dealing with the occupation except through resistance, they will erupt by all available means and through all possible forms of resistance.
Our people will not surrender to this zionist entity, despite the occupation’s military capabilities, American support, and the international community’s turning a blind eye to its crimes. This is a people who have proven their resilience and ability to resist over 76 years.
The Palestinian people have proven their ability to stand against the occupation, despite the bloodshed and losses. The past 76 years have created a new reality: the occupation cannot remain on this land as long as there is a people resisting.