'Gambling With Hostages' Lives': Senior Israeli Negotiator Says Netanyahu Knowingly Creating Crisis in Cease-fire Talks

The growing tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli team negotiating the release of the hostages in Gaza and a cease-fire with Hamas have reached a peak in the past several days.

"Netanyahu is knowingly trying to put the negotiations in crisis because he thinks he can improve positions. He has hinted to that effect in recent conversations. That's taking an uncalculated risk with the hostages' lives," one senior negotiator told Haaretz.

The negotiator made the remarks in light of new demands by Israel, notably the creation of a special security mechanism to prevent Hamas terrorists from returning to the northern Gaza Strip.

"The negotiating team told the prime minister in the clearest possible way. We won't find a mechanism in the coming weeks that would prevent an increase in armed men that would be acceptable to Hamas. It's a death blow to the negotiations. We'll know how to deal with all the security challenges even without that," the source said.