Egyptian intelligence scuppered a possible Gaza ceasefire deal

Egyptian intelligence scuppered a possible Gaza ceasefire deal this month by secretly changing the terms after they had been signed off by Israel. ‘Duped’ US officials say a deal different to that agreed by Israel – with additional Hamas demands added – was then put in front of the terror group, who thought Israel had agreed to them.

Three sources revealed to CNN Tuesday the deal fell apart after senior Egyptian intelligence official Ahmed Abdel Khalek made covert last-minute changes in an offer to Hamas without informing the Israelis. The quiet tweaks meant fellow mediators, the US and Qatar, were left in the dark, with one of the sources claiming: ‘We were all duped.’ The ceasefire agreement that Hamas announced on May 6 was not what the Qataris or Americans believed had been submitted to Hamas for a potential final review, sources said.

Khalek had offered one set of terms to Israel while presenting another to Hamas, in which the Palestinian leaders received more of their demands, reported CNN. ‘All sides were under the assumption the Egyptians provided the same document,’ that Israel approved, one of the sources revealed. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (pictured) assured Mossad that Egypt had acted alone in making the changes, two of the sources added.

The details signed off on by Hamas included the goal of reaching a permanent ceasefire and a ‘sustainable calm’ during the second phase of the three-part agreement, according to a Hamas document obtained by the outlet. Hamas announced it had agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire on May 6, but Israeli officials snapped back claiming they had not approved the proposed framework because it was a ‘softened’ version of what was originally put forward which included ‘far-reaching’ conclusions that Israel could not accept. One Israeli official at the time told Reuters it was a ruse by the terror group in hopes of creating backlash against Israel for not going along with the deal.

The changes made by Egyptian intelligence reportedly led to anger among Israel, the US, and Qatar, against the Egyptians with one source claiming the Egyptians ‘deceived us all’. An Egyptian source told the outlet that a day before Hamas made their public May 6 announcement agreeing to the proposal, Egypt had received Hamas’ response and relayed it to Israel. ‘Several alternatives and scenarios were proposed to overcome the main point of contention related to ending the war,’ said the source. ‘Hamas was telling their people, ‘We will have a deal in place tomorrow’,’ the first source said.

But what Hamas returned, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, was ‘very far from Israel’s core demands’. CIA Director Bill Burns, who played a role in orchestrating the unaltered version of the hostage deal was reportedly both angry and embarrassed that the deal had been edited without US, or Israeli knowledge. Burns ‘almost blew a gasket,’ the source said, as Khalek had been the director’s counterpart in leading Egypt’s mediation in the ceasefire discussions.

Following the outrage at the under-the-table changing of terms and the current stall in ceasefire talks – alarm bells are now ringing for those involved as questions regarding Egypt’s motives are raised, despite the country having played a key intermediary role between Israel and Hamas for several years. The changes come less than a month after a group of Egyptian negotiators flew to Israel to iron out some of the final details of a framework which would lead to a temporary stop in the fighting in Gaza and the release of some Israeli hostages and even more Palestinian prisoners.

Talks had been ongoing for several months, following the last pause in the conflict falling apart in December. Hopes were raised that a peace deal was close at hand as Israel agreed to go further than they previously had done before after seeming willing to accept fewer hostages while releasing more Palestinian prisoners and allowing Gazans in the southern part of the enclave to return home to the north unrestricted. If talks continue, it is expected that the Qataris would play a more prominent role, one of the sources revealed, although Egypt would still be expected to be a central figure in the discussions given their relationship with Hamas.

The discussions are still expected to centre around a framework that would see up to 33 Israeli hostages released over at least a period of six weeks in an initial stage. Hamas has been calling for the inclusion of the bodies of the dead hostages to be released too, and to also have both stages merge together with no break in between – both demands which Israel have rejected.

Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, around two-thirds of them children and women, according to Gaza health officials. More than 80 per cent of the population of 2.3 million have been driven from their homes, and hundreds of thousands in the north are on the brink of famine, according to the UN.

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