In light of the continued aggression on the Gaza Strip for more than two months, Israeli talk has returned about the possibility of concluding a new prisoner exchange deal between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian resistance factions, although diplomats ruled out that the matter would take place before “several weeks,” while the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) saw in This is merely a “maneuver” aimed at deceiving Israeli public opinion.
Israeli media quoted an official source as saying that the Israeli government is ready to listen to the mediators’ proposals regarding a new exchange deal with Hamas.
Israeli Channel 12 reported, citing an informed source, that the conditions have “matured” in order to begin considering the possibility of completing an exchange deal for prisoners and detainees, and developing agreements on its terms on the part of Israel and the movement.
The source said that Mossad chief David Barnea received instructions to start listening to what the mediating parties were saying in this regard, including the State of Qatar, without Israel offering any direction on its part.
According to estimates reported by the channel, it is not possible to talk about completing the deal during the next week, but it may witness the reopening of the dialogue process.
The channel pointed to Israel’s concerns about the loss of communication between the Hamas leadership and field commanders, and its impact on access to Israeli detainees.
Increased pressure
For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that the Israeli army’s increased pressure will bring proposals regarding new truces that the government is studying.
He also said that Israel is open to the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Lebanese Hezbollah, provided that the agreement includes a safe zone on the border and appropriate guarantees.
He added, “If Hezbollah allows an agreement process, I will not go into its details now, but it is clear that it must include a situation in which there is a safe distance from our fence for forces that could fire on Israeli territory, or forces that might carry out action inside Israel. So… “If this is possible with the appropriate safeguards, we can talk about that.”
Gallant’s statements came at a time when the British newspaper The Guardian confirmed that diplomats – at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar – do not expect the relaunch of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas until weeks later.
The source suggested – according to the newspaper – that the resumption of the ceasefire commissioners is linked to Israel’s ability to achieve some “military achievement”, by announcing – for example – the killing or arrest of some prominent Hamas leaders.
Hamas responded
Commenting on the news circulating in Israel, Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said that the movement would not conclude any exchange deal with the Israeli occupation before stopping the aggression against Gaza completely and finally.
Osama pointed out – in an interview with Tel Aviv Tribune – that the occupation government’s leaks regarding the existence of negotiations on the return of detainees are merely a maneuver to mislead Israeli public opinion and reduce pressure.
Writer and political analyst Majid Abu Diak believes that what the Israeli media reported about the occupation’s readiness to resume negotiations and humanitarian truces comes after the heavy losses suffered by the army in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, and in Jabalia and the Shuja’iya neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip.
He stressed that Israel wants to rearrange the ranks of its forces, by taking advantage of humanitarian truces, and sending a positive message to the families of the prisoners who are demonstrating almost daily against the government, demanding a return to negotiation as the only way to recover the prisoners. He ruled out that Hamas would respond to this call, because it announced after the resumption of the aggression that it would not negotiate. On a partial or complete deal only after the ceasefire.
Talk about the possible exchange deal comes at a time when the Strategic Policy Coordinator at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that reaching a new truce is important in order to release detainees in the Gaza Strip. However, the US State Department said that Washington’s position is to reach humanitarian truces. It is not a ceasefire in the Strip.
A temporary truce began last November 24, lasting 7 days, between Hamas 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.