Negotiations continue between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, mediated by Qatar and in coordination with the United States, which could result in the release of 10 to 15 prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for a break of several days in the fighting, Hamas and Egyptian sources told Reuters and AFP. news agencies.
Reports on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources close to the negotiations, indicated that details of a possible deal remain uncertain.
“The exact number is not yet clear at this stage,” an anonymous source told Reuters, putting the number of captives who could be freed at between 10 and 15.
AFP cited a source close to Hamas as saying the talks “revolve around the release of 12 hostages, half of whom are Americans, in exchange for a three-day humanitarian pause.”
“There’s a lot of discussion, a lot of negotiation,” said Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher. “Also, add this to the mix: (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no cease-fire until all captives were released. This is an important statement, especially since he has spoken several times with (US President) Joe Biden.”
Qatar played a key role in negotiations to secure the release of around 240 prisoners held by Hamas and recently negotiated the surrender of four prisoners.
“This is great news. This follows communication between Washington and Tel Aviv over the last 48 hours. I think the Americans have made enormous efforts regarding the hostages,” he told Al Jazeera researcher Mahjoob Zweiri, from Qatar University.
While there has been talk of a “tactical pause in the fighting,” Fisher said that idea was also rejected by Netanyahu 24 hours ago, when he said there would be no ceasefire until all captives are freed.
Netanyahu “will be under pressure in Israel if there is the possibility of releasing even some of the captives, if there is some sort of agreement that can be reached to release these captives, but these negotiations continue – nothing concrete at the moment. ” Fisher reported.
Reuters, citing an Egyptian security source, said a 24-48 hour pause in fighting, or a narrowing of the main combat zone, was expected over the next week in exchange for the release of some hostages .
In a televised speech on Wednesday, Abu Obaida, spokesman for Hamas’ military wing, said the only way to ensure the full release of captives was through a “complete or gradual exchange of prisoners,” in a televised speech on Al -Aqsa. TV.
The Qassam Brigades spokesman said the group held women captive, as well as the sick, elderly and other civilians, but stressed that Israel held the same types of people in its prisons.
“This issue can only be resolved through an exchange within each of these categories (of prisoners and captives) or as part of a global process including everyone,” he added.
More than 240 people, including Israeli soldiers and civilians as well as foreigners, were captured in an attack on Israel on October 7 that Israeli authorities say killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians. .
The attack, in which Palestinian gunmen killed families and took people hostage in towns in southern Israel, was widely condemned, with human rights groups and the United Nations calling for upon their immediate release.
Hamas has called for a prisoner exchange, demanding that Israel release thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
In Israel, groups of families whose loved ones are being held captive in Gaza have pressured Netanyahu to consider such a deal, which they have dubbed “all for all.”
“As far as families are concerned, an agreement on the immediate return of our family members under the framework of ‘all for all’ is feasible, and there will be broad national support for this,” said MeIrav Gonen, representative of ‘such a group. His daughter, Romi, is one of the captives.
Following reports of the latest negotiations, the Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons said it welcomed the “return of every hostage”.
It remains unclear to what extent Israel will prioritize the release of captives as it carries out an attack on Gaza from land, sea and air, with ground forces entering Gaza City and air raids killing more than 10,569 people, including 4,324 children, according to the report. Ministry of Health in Gaza.
