Israel is preparing its citizens for the possibility of making concessions, such as releasing Palestinian prisoners it classifies as “dangerous,” as part of reaching a new prisoner exchange agreement with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
A temporary humanitarian truce that lasted for a week between Israel and Hamas ended in early December, during which prisoners and detainees were exchanged between the two parties, and small relief aid and limited quantities of fuel were brought into the Gaza Strip.
The official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that Israel is discussing with mediators the release of dozens of Israeli detainees, with priority given to women who were not released under the previous deal, the elderly who were injured during captivity and those with chronic diseases.
The Commission quoted an unnamed Israeli source familiar with the details of the negotiations, saying, “The Israeli public must be prepared to make difficult decisions and make concessions regarding the release of “dangerous” prisoners. What is meant by “dangerous” prisoners are Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, who have been sentenced to very severe sentences. .
Difficult agreement
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an unnamed Israeli political official as saying, “It will be much more difficult than drafting the previous agreement,” and indicated that Israel is studying all options as part of attempts to reach an agreement with Hamas, including the release of prisoners with severe sentences.
For its part, Israeli Channel 12 quoted a senior Israeli official, whom it did not name, as saying, “Israel will be willing to go a long way to return the hostages.” The official added, “The agreement, if implemented, will be difficult and will require heavy prices, and the road is still long. I am not sure.” “He will succeed. Anyway, the ball is now in the mediators’ court.”
The channel also indicated that Israel is working on a deal that will include the release of between 30 and 40 detainees, including women, the elderly, and the sick. It added, in return, that Israel will consider being flexible in the number of days of the humanitarian truce.
In addition, Israel may release prisoners more generously, both in terms of severity and number. According to the channel, despite Israel’s preparedness, this is only the beginning of a process, and it is not known what will happen in the end. However, long days are now expected. From the negotiations, it was stated that Israel wants to convince the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, that the deal is worthy of attention.
A week for 40 detainees
For its part, the Israeli Walla news website quoted two Israeli officials, whom it did not name, that Israel is offering to stop the fighting in Gaza for at least one week, as part of a new deal to get Hamas to release 40 of its detainees.
The website added, Israeli officials say, “The proposal shows that Israel is determined to relaunch serious negotiations to release more detainees, even as Hamas says it will not resume negotiations as long as the fighting continues.”
The website continued, Israeli officials said, “Mossad chief David Barnea presented an Israeli proposal on how to relaunch talks on a new deal to secure the release of a group of about 40 detainees.”
The website indicated that under the proposal: The group will include the remaining women detained by Hamas, men over the age of 60 and others who are sick or seriously injured and in need of urgent medical care.
Israel’s conditions
The Israeli “Walla” news website reported that Israel also proposed releasing Palestinian prisoners convicted of committing more serious attacks on Israel than those who were released in the previous deal. The website attributed Israeli officials to saying that “there are dozens of these Palestinian prisoners who are elderly or older.” “Sick people can be released as part of a humanitarian deal.”
According to the Israeli website, the head of the Mossad believes that if Hamas wants the war to stop, it must lay down its weapons and hand over its leaders in Gaza who were responsible for the October 7 attack on Israel that sparked the war.
However, these statements clash with the approach of Hamas, which refuses to talk about any prisoner exchange deal before the Israeli army withdraws from the Gaza Strip and a comprehensive ceasefire is established.
Since last October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which as of Tuesday evening left 19,667 dead, 52,586 wounded, most of them children and women, massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, according to the Gaza Strip authorities and the United Nations.
In response to daily Israeli attacks against the Palestinian people and their sanctities, on October 7, the Hamas movement launched the Al-Aqsa flood attack against Israeli military bases and settlements in the vicinity of Gaza.
About 1,200 Israelis were killed, and Hamas captured about 240, exchanging 110 of them with Israel, which holds more than 7,800 Palestinians in its prisons, during a humanitarian truce that lasted 7 days and ended on December 1, with Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation.