2024-05-02 11:50:48
After about seven months of the Israeli war on the Israel confirms release of 17 hostages”>Gaza Strip, hopes have revived for reaching a truce agreement in the Gaza Strip and exchanging prisoners between Israel and Hamas.
While the movement reported that it was studying a new proposal put forward by the Egyptian side before submitting its response, three Israeli officials indicated that the Israeli negotiating team reduced the number of detainees supposed to be released in the first phase of the expected deal with Hamas for a ceasefire and the exchange of detainees in Gaza.
The officials said that Israel is now requesting the release of 33 detainees instead of 40, according to what the New York Times reported.
She also pointed out that an Israeli delegation is planning to travel to Cairo, today, Tuesday, to resume ceasefire talks if Hamas agrees to attend as well, in light of the recent proposal that the two parties are studying, which stipulates the release of between 20 and 40 Israelis, in exchange for a ceasefire for a day or two. A little more for each prisoner released,” that is, for a period that may reach 6 weeks, or less if the movement does not release more than 20 detainees.
This came after the Hamas delegation left the Egyptian capital, yesterday, Monday, and returned again with a written response to the truce deal proposal.
Mahmoud Al-Mardawi, a leader in Hamas, said earlier that the movement is currently studying a new proposal regarding Gaza that was presented by the Egyptian side in cooperation with the Qataris, stressing that the movement has not yet issued a comment on this proposal.
It is noteworthy that on Monday, after months of fruitless discussions, Cairo witnessed a meeting between representatives of Egypt and Qatar, the two mediating countries with the United States in the truce negotiations, and a delegation from Hamas, which is awaiting a response to the proposal that was negotiated with Israel.
The Hamas delegation left Egypt to return to Qatar “to consult and respond as quickly as possible,” according to what a source in the movement told AFP.
Last November, negotiators reached an agreement that led to the release of about 100 Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7, in exchange for the release of more than 400 Palestinian prisoners.
While approximately 130 Israelis remain detained in Gaza, 34 of them are believed to have likely died, according to estimates by Israeli officials.
As for the Palestinians, thousands of Palestinians have been languishing in Israeli prisons for years, and Israeli forces have recently arrested hundreds in the Gaza Strip as well.
Last updated: April 30, 2024 – 09:37
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2024-05-02 11:50:48