C14 has learned that as negotiations continue over a potential agreement in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has sent a message to the mediators saying it is considering withdrawing from the emerging understandings, claiming Israel’s continued airstrikes across Gaza are preventing progress. The development could have significant implications for the sensitive negotiations currently underway.
According to our source, Israeli officials are assessing the significance of Hamas’ message and considering their possible courses of action. The central dilemma is whether to continue military pressure—including airstrikes and targeted eliminations—on the assumption that it increases pressure on Hamas, or to temporarily pause military operations in an effort to advance the negotiations and achieve a breakthrough.
As previously reported, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strock yesterday sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that he immediately convene the Security Cabinet and halt implementation of the roadmap published by the Board of Peace until it is amended to align with Israel’s war objectives and the commitments made to Israel.
According to the ministers, the official document published over the weekend differs substantially from the framework presented to cabinet ministers during the discussions that preceded its approval. They argue that the cabinet’s decision was made on the basis of information that did not match the final version of the document, and therefore a new decision is required to prevent implementation of the roadmap in its current form. According to the letter, without immediate intervention, a security reality could emerge in the Gaza Strip that contradicts Israel’s stated war objectives.
With Hamas threatening to walk away and Israel weighing whether military pressure or diplomatic flexibility offers the better path forward, the coming days could be critical for determining the future of the negotiations.