CNN reported, citing three sources familiar with the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, that Egyptian intelligence quietly altered the terms of the ceasefire proposal that Israel had already signed earlier this month, ultimately frustrating a deal that could have released Israeli hostages and Palestinians from Israeli prisons, while setting a path to temporarily end the fighting in Gaza.
The sources indicated that the ceasefire agreement announced by Hamas on May 6 was not what the Qataris or the Americans believed was presented to Hamas for review. The changes made by Egyptian intelligence, the details of which have not been disclosed before, triggered a wave of anger and mutual accusations among officials from the United States, Qatar, and Israel, leaving the ceasefire negotiations at an impasse.
U.S. Intelligence
William Burns, the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who led American efforts to mediate a ceasefire agreement, was in the region when news reached him that the Egyptians had changed the terms of the deal. Burns was reported to be angry and embarrassed, believing that it made him look as if he was unaware of the changes or had not informed the Israelis about them. The source noted that Burns, known for his gentle speech and moderate style, "was about to explode with anger."
CNN reported that a senior Egyptian intelligence official named Ahmed Abdelkhalek was responsible for the changes. Abdelkhalek is the first deputy to Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel, who was Burns' counterpart in leading the Egyptian mediation in the ceasefire negotiations. One source said, "Abdelkhalek told the Israelis one thing and Hamas something else," adding that "more demands from Hamas were included in the original framework that Israel had implicitly agreed to in order to obtain Hamas's approval, but other mediators, including the Israelis, were not informed."
The Deal Was "Within Reach"
A document from Hamas outlined the version of the framework they had agreed upon, which included achieving a permanent ceasefire and "sustainable calm," to be reached in the second phase of the three-phase deal. Israel opposed agreeing to discuss ending the war before defeating Hamas and releasing the hostages.
Now, three weeks later, with the ceasefire negotiations stalled, participants are questioning Egypt's motives, which has acted for years as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, particularly with elements of Hamas inside Gaza.
Changes Made to Convince Hamas
One source stated that after the Egyptians returned from Israel and consulted with Hamas, it became clear that the group would not agree to what Israel had accepted. Therefore, the Egyptian official made significant changes to convince Hamas to agree.
On the day before Hamas publicly announced its acceptance of the proposal on May 6, an Egyptian source told CNN that Egypt received Hamas's response and sent it to the Israeli side. The source added, "Several alternatives and scenarios were proposed to overcome the main sticking point related to ending the war."
The language of the agreement concerning ending the war may have been the most contentious issue throughout the negotiations, but Netanyahu stated that what Hamas returned "was far from Israel's fundamental demands."
