Hamas head Yahya Sinwar allegedly wants a ceasefire deal, CNN reported, citing Israeli sources familiar with the subject.
According to the CNN report, the Egyptian and Qatari mediators informed Israeli officials of Sinwar’s stance in the last several days, ahead of a hostage negotiation summit later toward the end of the second week of August.
It is uncertain whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would accept a ceasefire deal, according to CNN.
According to the prime minister’s allies, Netanyahu is ready to make a deal, regardless of how it impacts his coalition, two Israeli sources told CNN, however Israel’s security body is significantly more skeptical of his willingness due to opposition from far-right ministers in the coalition.
Earlier, Rami Ingra, former head of the hostages and missing person directorate in the Mossad contradicted the CNN report, saying that Sinwar “does not want a deal and has no reason to achieve a deal right now” in a conversation with Radio 103FM on Sunday.
“It pains me to defend Netanyahu, but at the same time, the current situation, in my opinion, does not depend on him at all,” he said, explaining that Sinwar has gotten “stronger.”
Conflicting opinions on a deal
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the deal a “Sinwar surrender deal” on Friday.
Netanyahu is under considerable pressure from the United States to agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal.
US Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris said on Saturday that already “far too many” civilians have been killed in Gaza and that a deal “needs to get done now.”
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