Israeli Channel 12 said that the War Council discussed Thursday a Qatari proposal to exchange prisoners between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel, while Hamas leader Osama Hamdan denied Israeli media reports that spoke of negotiations for the release of prisoners.
According to the proposal, 40 to 50 Israeli prisoners will be released in exchange for a ceasefire that extends for a full month.
The channel said that there is a second stage that appears to be more complex and the details of which have not yet been revealed, but it is estimated that it includes a call to settle Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
The channel stated that Hamas and Israel have not yet responded to the proposal, but the situation seems better than before, according to its expression.
Denied by Hamas
For his part, Hamas leader Osama Hamdan denied Israeli media reports that spoke of negotiations to release prisoners.
Hamdan said in statements to Tel Aviv Tribune that a complete and final ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is what is required before delving into any proposal regarding the prisoners.
He stressed that Israel is suffering from street pressure, adding that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “which is on the verge of collapse, is deliberately publishing incorrect leaks about the prisoner release deal with the aim of venting the tense street,” as he put it.
A temporary truce began last November 24 and lasted for 7 days between the Hamas movement and the Israeli occupation, mediated by the State of Qatar and Egyptian-American coordination, during which 80 Israelis were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has confirmed several times that there will be no prisoner exchange deals with the occupation except after a comprehensive cessation of the war on the Gaza Strip.
Since last October 7, Israel has been waging a war on Gaza that has left 21,507 martyrs to date, in addition to 55,915 injured – the majority of whom are children and women – in addition to massive destruction in residential neighborhoods, infrastructure, and hospitals.