6/12/2024–|Last updated: 12/6/202402:15 AM (Mecca time)
Tonight, the Israeli Mini-Ministerial Council for Security and Political Affairs will discuss the proposal for an exchange deal, amid reports of accelerating political efforts to reach a prisoner exchange deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Israeli Army Radio quoted an official as saying that there are difficulties in negotiating the deal, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has not yet agreed to the mediators’ request to end the war.
Israeli Channel 13 quoted a senior official for the families of the prisoners as saying that there is progress in the deal, but it will not bear fruit without ending the war.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation also quoted sources participating in the prisoner talks as saying that “Israel and Hamas expressed their willingness to show flexibility.”
Local Channel 12 quoted Israeli President Isaac Herzog as saying that there are now intense negotiations regarding the detainees’ deal.
In turn, Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced that he would support the deal that Netanyahu would put on the table to return detainees from Gaza.
Zohar explained that no one in the government agrees to end the war and Israeli withdrawal from certain places, such as the Philadelphia axis.
Yesterday, Thursday, Israeli politicians spoke about the existence of “serious and advanced contacts” for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire in Gaza, as part of what they said was a new proposal put forward by Egypt, according to what was reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority. But no official announcement was issued by Cairo or Hamas in this regard.
Saar and Blinken meeting
For his part, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke about an opportunity to conclude the deal, after meeting with his American counterpart, Anthony Blinken, in Malta on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The US State Department said that Blinken stressed, during his meeting with his Israeli counterpart in Malta, the urgent necessity of ending the war in the Gaza Strip and restoring all detainees. He also stressed the urgent necessity of paving the way for a post-conflict period that provides peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.
Blinken also reiterated that Israel must make more efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.
Blinken and his Israeli counterpart discussed the continued cessation of hostilities in Lebanon and the importance of ensuring the full implementation of the agreement.
Qatar is an important partner
In response to a question, on Thursday, about efforts to reach a truce agreement in Gaza, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said that Qatar is “an indispensable partner, whether for its role in resolving the conflict in Gaza or for its leadership role in the region,” and added, “They still are.” In the context of working to find an end to this conflict.”
Yesterday, Wednesday, Reuters quoted an informed source as saying that Qatar had resumed its role as a major mediator to reach an agreement between Hamas and Israel.
The source said that Steve Witkoff, the new envoy of US President-elect Donald Trump to the Middle East, met with the Prime Minister of Qatar and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Netanyahu, to begin diplomatic efforts for Trump to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and release detainees before he takes office. On the 20th of next January.
In turn, the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister told the British Sky News channel that Trump wants a ceasefire agreement in Gaza when he comes to power, and expressed his cautious optimism regarding reaching an agreement, stressing the need to put pressure on all parties.
On Monday, Trump warned on social media of unspecified “severe consequences” if detainees are not released by the time he takes office on January 20.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “strong statement” regarding the detainees.
Hamas’ position
Meanwhile, a member of the Hamas political bureau, Basem Naim, said in an interview published yesterday, Thursday, that international mediators have resumed negotiations with Hamas and Israel regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he hopes to conclude an agreement to end the war.
Hamas repeatedly stressed that any prisoner exchange agreement must achieve an end to the aggression on the Gaza Strip and the return of the displaced to their areas, and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of intentionally thwarting the rounds of negotiations to continue the war of extermination in the Strip.
A single truce in the war in Gaza in November 2023, which lasted for a week, allowed for the release of Israeli detainees who were being held in the Strip in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel. Since then, successive rounds of negotiations have not achieved any progress.
