AhlulBayt News Agency: Military commentator Avi Ashkenazi has warned that Israel is dangerously approaching the brink of collapse. He revealed that, since October 7, 2024, Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar had been leading negotiations for the release of captives held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently removed both officials from the process and appointed his close ally, Minister Ron Dermer, to lead the negotiations instead. Ashkenazi claims this move is widely seen as Netanyahu's attempt to freeze the talks and block progress toward the second phase of the current deal.
Ashkenazi cautioned that Israel is now walking on the edge of the abyss. He noted that tens of thousands of reservists have been called up for duty, with army units expected to enter intense combat in Gaza soon. He warned that Hamas has booby-trapped roads and buildings, preparing for close-quarters confrontation, making the operation brutal and costly.
Even US President Donald Trump has questioned Israel’s objectives, asking what the government is trying to achieve and what the endgame is. Ashkenazi added that Hamas is currently ready to strike a deal that includes the return of captives in exchange for a full ceasefire and an end to the war.
According to Ashkenazi, mediators—including the US and Egypt—are aware of Hamas’s offer. He suggested that if Barnea and Bar were still leading the negotiations, the captives might already be home.
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