An Egyptian spy allegedly sabotaged a potential cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas by making secret changes to the terms of the agreement. The intelligence official, Ahmed Abdel Khalek, reportedly altered the deal after Israel had already agreed to it, sneaking in more of Hamas’ demands to secure their approval. Abdel Khalek works for Abbas Kamel, the head of Egypt’s general intelligence service.
One of the main points of contention in the deal was the call for “sustainable calm” in the second phase. Israel is said to be against negotiating an end to the conflict until Hamas is defeated and all hostages are released. The deal could have led to the release of some Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as a temporary halt to combat. US officials had hoped that a temporary cease-fire could pave the way for a more lasting peace.
Officials from Qatar, the US, and Israel were reportedly caught off guard and frustrated by the spy’s clandestine alterations to the agreement. Hamas initially announced its agreement to the deal on May 6th, with mediation from Qatar and Egypt. However, Israeli officials expressed skepticism, viewing it as a ploy to portray Israel as the party rejecting a deal.
The collapse of the cease-fire agreement is a setback for US President Joe Biden, who is facing criticism from some left-wing voters for his support of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The failed deal also disappoints mediators hoping to prevent Israel’s escalation of violence in Rafah.