no surprise here as netanyahu has repeatedly said his aim is to empty gaza, and all of what he sees as israel, of palestinians;

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deliberately obstructed efforts to secure ceasefire and release of captives from Gaza in agreements with Hamas, a former US official has told Israel’s Channel 13, in a bombshell interview.

Matthew Miller, a former State Department spokesperson under Secretary of State Antony Blinken, stressed that Washington debated publicly accusing Netanyahu of being “completely intransigent” but refrained, fearing Hamas would exploit US–Israel divisions.

“We wanted to speak very toughly to the government of Israel behind closed doors, but ultimately not do anything that would make it harder to get to a deal,” Miller said.

Miller cited an April 2024 instance where US officials urged Hamas to accept a six-week truce, potentially delaying Israel’s Rafah invasion.

At the same time, Netanyahu declared Israel would enter Rafah “whether there was a ceasefire or not.”

Miller stated the comment undermined the leverage mediators required..........more...........