Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
The elusive ceasefire deal in Gaza is not held up on a condition. The sticking point to end an 11-month-long war, which has killed over 40,000 in Gaza, is held up by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alone.
Aaron David Miller is an American Middle East analyst, author, and negotiator. Miller worked for the US Department of State for 24 years and as an advisor on Arab-Israeli negotiations.
Miller said on CNN on September 4, that the ceasefire deal between Netanyahu and Hamas will not happen, because the sticking point is not the Philadelphi Corridor, it is about Netanyahu's seat in office.
Netanyahu is under an enormous amount of pressure both domestically and globally to stop the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Yet, he seems impervious to the intense pressure, even from the US, which is his source of weapons and cash to continue the war on Gaza. Millions of protesters calling for the freedom of Palestine are in the streets around the world, and world leaders call for a ceasefire.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are in the streets demanding that Netanyahu sign a ceasefire deal to release their hostages. Israeli opposition leaders and Israeli peace activists are demanding a ceasefire and a change in the government.
The International Court of Justice ruled that the occupation of Palestine was against international law.
Hamas, the Palestinian resistance, is holding to their condition for the Israeli military to pull out completely of Gaza to accept the ceasefire between the two sides. But, Netanyahu is sticking to his demand of keeping troops inside Gaza on the Egyptian border, referred to as the Philadelphi Corridor.
Hamas has kept Netanyahu from achieving his military goals in Gaza. No senior Hamas leaders have been killed in Gaza, and the military wing of Hamas is still strong and fighting.
Hamas started a fight on October 7 that galvanized the international community on the side of the Palestinians. The two-state solution is cited by the US and the UN as the only solution to the conflict.
The only country against the two-state solution is Israel.
Netanyahu asked AIPAC to put pressure on US President Joe Biden to drop out of the race. Biden was demanding Netanyahu make a ceasefire deal, to release Israeli hostages as well as stop the bloodshed in Gaza.
Biden's decision to drop out of the race for re-election came just days after Netanyahu reneged on a ceasefire promise to Biden.
Netanyahu refused to comply with Biden because Netanyahu's freedom depends on staying in office. If he goes against his right-wing religious extremist allies, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, they will drop his government like a hot potato.
If Netanyahu is out of office and has no immunity, he will serve jail time for the corruption charges he was found guilty of.
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