Israel Considers Prisoner Swap Proposal, Hamas Links Any Deal to Ending War
An Al Jazeera reporter has revealed that a small ministerial committee led by Benjamin Netanyahu will meet today to discuss proposals related to a prisoner exchange deal. This comes as the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has emphasized that any detainee release will be contingent on the end of the war in Gaza.
The meeting of the mini-ministerial council is scheduled to take place following a four-party meeting in Paris where discussions centered around the features of a new exchange agreement. According to the Al Jazeera reporter, estimates from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office indicated that the Paris discussions were constructive.
The Israel Broadcasting Authority has reported that the Paris talks, which involved Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, resulted in progress in talks on a prisoner exchange. Israeli political sources revealed that the summit discussed plans for the phased release of Israeli prisoners.
These same sources added that the two sides had discussed a ceasefire for about two months in exchange for the release of about 100 Israeli prisoners, with priority given to children, women, and the sick. In return, Israel would release a large number of Palestinian prisoners.
However, Hamas has outlined its conditions for any potential agreement, stating that the release of detainees is linked to an end to Israel’s aggression in Gaza and the withdrawal of all occupying forces.
It was reported that the US Wall Street Journal quoted Egyptian officials as revealing a new proposal made by the mediating country to Hamas, which stipulates a four-month ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of all Israeli prisoners.
The proposal includes a six-week cessation of Israeli attacks to release Israeli prisoners in need of emergency medical care, including children, women, and the elderly, in exchange for Israel releasing large numbers of Palestinian prisoners and increasing the number of arrivals of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The second phase of the proposal involves the release of captured female Israeli soldiers followed by the release of captured soldiers, as well as the transportation of the bodies of Israelis killed in Gaza to Tel Aviv. Additionally, Hamas is seeking international guarantees, including from the United States, to reach a comprehensive deal to halt attacks on Gaza once and for all.
U.S. officials have stated that a prisoner exchange agreement may be concluded within the next two weeks.
It is worth noting that through the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Hamas and Israel reached a temporary humanitarian truce that lasted until December 1 for a week, during which prisoners were exchanged and limited humanitarian aid was provided to the Gaza Strip.