Peace talks? You’re referring to the Hamas hierarchy hosted in Qatar on Sept 9th? Those were peace talks?
en.wikipedia.org
They managed to drag this out for almost two years, not counting the time around Oct 7th 2023 ‘cuz that is probably outside the statute of limitations for what’s relevant on this topic at any given time, etc…
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Maybe Israel didn’t know that Oct 7th was already passé and beyond what they could respond to due to time limits, etc…or maybe it was with respect to the terrorist attack the previous day? Hell if I know, & I’m not justifying, but just digging myself.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the strike as a part of Israel’s oft-stated mission to avenge the Hamas-led October 2023 attack, and make sure it can never be repeated.
“The days in which terrorist chiefs enjoy immunity anywhere have ended,” Mr. Netanyahu said hours after the strikes. The next day he expanded on his reasoning, condemning Qatar for giving “safe haven” to Hamas.
Yaakov Amidror, a retired major general who served as Mr. Netanyahu’s national security adviser, said that Israel had limited its actions in the past to avoid provoking conflicts or upending delicate relations with states like Qatar. “Now, we’re saying if you’re trying to kill Israelis, you’ll be killed wherever you are,” he said.
Hamas has made the release of all remaining captives conditional on agreeing to a permanent end to the war that they started — a scenario that Mr. Netanyahu has rejected as long as it allows the group to retain weapons and continue to wield power over Gaza and thus a threat to Israel.
Under U.S. pressure, Qatari officials had warned
Hamas’ political bureau earlier that it was no longer welcome in the country amid frustration over stalled
hostage and cease-fire negotiations with Israel, according to a senior U.S. administration official and two diplomats briefed on the matter.
“Hamas has been told that if this continues then Qatar cannot continue to host them,” they said.
Qatar’s participation hinged on both parties demonstrating real interest in resolving the conflict, according to the diplomat. Qatari officials, however, concluded that recent negotiation efforts (like almost the last two years?) have been more focused on optics than peace efforts.
Maybe that’s part of it? Hell if I know.
Now even Jonathan Conricus is criticizing Bibi over this, as this is on Netanyahu’s watch:
(YouTube & Jonathan Conricus on UK, Canada, and Australia recognizing a Palestinian state)
Are you blaming Hamas for Smotrich and Ben-Gvir threatening to crash the coalition that props up Netanyahu every time a concensus and potential deal reached?
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, far-right Israeli ministers, have repeatedly used their coalition leverage to oppose and obstruct ceasefire-hostage agreements with Hamas during the ongoing war in Gaza, prioritizing the complete destruction of Hamas over phased deals.
While no single source provides an exhaustive, verified tally, multiple reports indicate they have successfully halted or derailed at least four distinct attempts at such agreements since the conflict escalated in October 2023. This figure is based on Ben-Gvir's own public admission of blocking deals "time after time" over the past year, corroborated by specific instances documented in credible outlets. Below, I outline the key cases with evidence.
Key Instances of Obstruction
July 2024 Proposal (Partial Hostage Release Without Full Ceasefire)
Hamas was reportedly willing to release several hostages without demanding an immediate full ceasefire, per a US-Egypt-Qatar mediated plan. Netanyahu stalled and rejected it to appease Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who threatened to collapse the coalition if any concessions were made. This prevented an early breakthrough that could have freed captives amid escalating military pressure.
Biden's May-June 2024 Ceasefire Framework
In response to US President Biden's three-phase proposal (initial ceasefire, hostage release, and eventual war end), both ministers publicly threatened to quit the government unless Hamas was fully eradicated first. Their opposition hardened Netanyahu's stance, stalling talks and contributing to the framework's collapse despite international backing.
January 2025 Two-Stage Hostage-Ceasefire Deal
Israel signed an initial phase releasing some hostages, but Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party exited the coalition in protest, vowing to return only if fighting resumed. Smotrich conditioned his support on rejecting the second phase (full ceasefire). Their combined threats forced a resumption of hostilities, effectively stopping the deal from progressing to a permanent end of the war. Ben-Gvir later boasted of this as one of his successful blocks.
Ongoing July 2025 60-Day Truce Proposal (Trump-Mediated)
Amid US President Trump's push for a temporary ceasefire to release remaining hostages, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich summoned by Netanyahu to discuss but reiterated opposition, with Ben-Gvir seeking Smotrich's alliance to torpedo it via resignation threats. Reports indicate their pressure has already hardened Hamas's positions, risking another failure.
Broader Context and Evidence
Ben-Gvir's Admission: In a January 14, 2025, video on X, Ben-Gvir explicitly stated: "In the last year, using our political power, we managed to prevent this deal from going ahead, time after time," urging Smotrich to join in blocking the then-emerging agreement. This self-confessed pattern aligns with the four instances above, spanning roughly 12-15 months.
Smotrich's Role:
As Finance Minister, Smotrich has echoed these threats, calling deals a "catastrophe" and "surrender to Hamas" (e.g., January 13, 2025, statement). Their parties hold 13 Knesset seats, giving them outsized influence in Netanyahu's slim-majority coalition.
Impact on Hostages:
About 50 hostages remain in Gaza (half believed alive as of September 2025), with families and opposition figures like Yair Lapid accusing the ministers of prioritizing politics over lives. Protests and international pressure (e.g., UK/Canada sanctions on both in June 2025 for inciting violence) have intensified scrutiny.
Caveats:
Exact counts vary by source—one X post claims "at least five times," but lacks specifics beyond the four above. Not all blocks were solely theirs (Netanyahu often shares blame), and some proposals (e.g., May 2025 Witkoff plan) overlapped with the Biden framework. No deals have fully succeeded due to these dynamics, per ongoing reports.
These obstructions stem from the ministers' ideology: They demand Gaza's total conquest and resettlement, viewing any truce as empowering Hamas. For real-time updates, monitor outlets like The Times of Israel or Haaretz, as negotiations remain fluid.
