The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Wednesday that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken informed the families of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip that the Biden administration is working on formulating a new proposal for a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The newspaper added that Blinken explained – in a meeting with the families of American prisoners in Gaza – that the administration of US President Joe Biden proposed a plan aimed at releasing a limited number of hostages (less than 10) in the first phase, in exchange for a temporary ceasefire by Israel in Gaza. . Blinken described this step as a “test of Hamas’ seriousness” in reaching a broader agreement, especially after the martyrdom of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Yahya Sinwar.
The proposal was circulated in discussions between the head of the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, and the new Egyptian intelligence chief, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad. According to the newspaper, Rashad was the first to propose the idea of a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of a certain number of prisoners, with the aim of paving the way for negotiations for a broader deal that includes the release of all prisoners in Gaza in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and Israel’s agreement to end the war.
The US Secretary of State told the families of the prisoners that he hopes to achieve progress through this deal. Israel estimates the number of prisoners in Gaza at 101, while Hamas announced that a number of these prisoners were killed as a result of random Israeli raids on the Strip.
In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to impose new conditions, despite the continuous efforts made by Qatar and Egypt for several months to reach an agreement to end the war and exchange prisoners. These conditions include continued Israeli control over the Philadelphia border axis between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, and control of the Rafah crossing, in addition to preventing the return of Palestinian fighters to northern Gaza by inspecting those returning through the Netzarim corridor.
On the other hand, Hamas insists on Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a complete cessation of the war as a condition for any agreement.