Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sits with Benjamin Netanyahu during a handover ceremony in al-Quds, occupied Palestine, April 1, 2009. (AP)

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says that "Netanyahu does not want to recover the Israeli hostages [captives] in Gaza." He added that "ceasefire negotiations could collapse at some point" and warned of a potential shift towards a "total war" scenario.

In an article for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Olmert noted that the ongoing war in Gaza and its possible expansion into the North with Hezbollah increases the risk of a comprehensive conflict involving other parties such as the Yemeni Armed Forces and "Iran-supported groups in Syria and Iraq."

According to Olmert, such a scenario "poses a real threat to Israel," resulting in many casualties among soldiers and settlers, significant damage to "Israel's infrastructure, and a serious decline in its international standing.

He stated that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must choose between abandoning his declared goal of "total victory" or continuing the war, which could expand into a multi-front conflict without a reasonable timeline for resolution. Olmert warned that "Israel is taking significant steps towards a comprehensive war," which he says is the agenda of Netanyahu, Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Moreover, Olmert also urged Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, and Mossad Director David Barnea to announce their resignations if Netanyahu sabotages the negotiations for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza in the coming days.

Netanyahu: 'Master of negotiation deception'

In a related development, Haaretz criticized Netanyahu in its editorial, stating that the captives "are slowly rotting in Hamas tunnels and have become secondary to Netanyahu." The newspaper pointed out that Netanyahu often claims readiness to negotiate but delays the process by adding new conditions while privately suggesting there is no real ceasefire deal, leading to more captive deaths.

Haaretz described Netanyahu as a "master of faking negotiations," noting that "he talks a lot but does nothing." The paper demanded that Netanyahu not be allowed to conduct sham negotiations that abandon the Israeli occupation's captives.

Yesterday, Reuters reported, citing 10 sources familiar with the US-mediated talks that concluded last week, that Israeli conditions—particularly maintaining a military presence in Gaza, especially in the Philadelphi Corridor—complicate the ongoing negotiations and delay reaching a ceasefire.

Israeli settlers are 'Exhausted and Drained'

In turn, military affairs analyst Amos Harel of Haaretz stated that "the Israeli public is tired, exhausted, and concerned about living conditions, with some also worried about additional reserve call-ups."

Harel added that "at some point, the army must break its silence and present its professional opinion on a ceasefire deal in Gaza."