Indirect negotiations for prisoner exchange between Israel, Hamas enter critical phase
Date
1/13/2025 3:37:21 AM
(MENAFN) With the inauguration of US President-elect Donald trump set for November 20, indirect negotiations for a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas are entering a critical phase. diplomatic mediators are working to finalize an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip before Trump's swearing-in, striving to resolve the remaining obstacles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining control over the Philadelphia border axis between Gaza and Egypt, as well as the Rafah crossing, has been a key issue. He also demands that Palestinian fighters returning to northern Gaza be inspected through the Netzarim corridor.
Kaddoura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Commission, revealed details of the first phase of the expected prisoner exchange, which will see the release of 25 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza. Additionally, 48 prisoners who were part of the 2011 Shalit deal will be freed, along with 200 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, and another 1,000 prisoners, including all children, women, and sick detainees in Israeli prisons. Fares stated that over 3,000 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in the first phase, which will also include nine Israeli soldiers. These prisoners will return to their homes in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, except for those sentenced to life imprisonment, who may be deported outside the occupied territories to avoid Israeli threats of assassination.
The occupation has also insisted on adding nine more prisoners, including wounded soldiers, in exchange for additional concessions. However, the deal will not cover prisoners arrested after October 7, 2023, with no Gaza prisoners expected to remain in Israeli jails by the final phase of the agreement. Israeli intelligence estimates that between 45 and 51 Palestinian prisoners, including military personnel and five female soldiers, are currently held by the resistance in Gaza. Furthermore, Israeli media reported that Gal Hersh, the coordinator of Zionist prisoners' affairs, will meet with an official from the International Red Cross this week to discuss the role of the ICRC in facilitating the prisoner exchange process. Mediators have intensified efforts in recent weeks, with significant progress reported in indirect meetings, and further intensification is expected in the days leading up to Trump's inauguration.
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