Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not look motivated enough to uphold the ceasefire deal with the Palestinian movement Hamas beyond the first phase, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
“All the indicators, unfortunately, suggest that Mr. Netanyahu has no intention to continue with the ceasefire as soon as he gets all the hostages. His intention is, unfortunately, to restart the war again, because there is no pressure or the other power to stop him, other than the Americans,”
The Turkish minister said that US President Donald Trump needed to put Netanyahu under pressure “to prevent another genocide” and stop Israel from committing more crimes against humanity in the Palestinian enclave. He predicted that the next two weeks would be crucial for the implementation of the second phase of the deal.
“The next two weeks are crucial to reach Phase 2. I hope that the negotiators from both sides can really work out the details, which are necessary to go on with Phase 2. As long as we have the political will from the Israeli side, I think, it is possible to work out Phase 2, and it is durable, but there should be the political will from the Israeli side,” Fidan said.
Netanyahu ordered Israeli negotiators to go to Cairo on Monday to discuss further steps toward the implementation of the first phase of the deal with the mediators. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of February.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place in Gaza since January 19. The two sides have held six prisoner exchanges, swapping more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for 21 Israeli hostages and five Thai citizens.
