Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh (L) and Yahya Sinwar (R) and Egyptian President a-Sisi (center)
Photo: Reuters, AP
Egypt reportedly brokering Hamas prisoner swap with Israel
Hamas presented number of prisoners whose release it seeks, but Israel nixed deal, Lebanese Al Akhbar paper reports; Egypt reportedly seeking broader play, including armistice, end to tunnel excavation, cooling ties with Iran in return for lifting blockade, freedom of movement for Hamas's leaders.
Egyptian intelligence has been holding vigorous talks with both Hamas and Israel on a prisoner swap deal, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Akhbar newspaper reported Wednesday. Hamas presented Egypt with the number of prisoners it wished to be released, but Israel vetoed it, the report added.
Talks also dealt with the status of prisoners released in the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap but later detained by Israel again, the Lebanese paper said. while Hamas demanded they be rereleased irrespective of the final tally of prisoners agreed upon in negotiations, Israel was adamant they were retried and their release could therefore only be secured as part of a new deal..
More than 50 Palestinians released as part of the Shalit deal were later arrested again.
Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh (L) and Yahya Sinwar (R) and Egyptian President a-Sisi (center) (Photo: Reuters, AP)
Al Akhbar also reported Egypt asked Hamas for information as to the state of Israelis held captive by the Gaza terror group, in return for the release of women prisoners as well as detainees who are minors.
However, Egypt was not content to merely mediating a prisoner swap, the paper reported, going so far as to seek a long-term "hudna" (armistice), with Hamas vowing to halt tunnel excavations and to cool its relations with Iran.
In return, as per the Egyptian framework, the blockade on the strip will be lifted, border crossings will reopen and financial assistance will flow to Gaza again. Furthermore, the Egyptians offered freedom of movement for Hamas's leaders, enabling them to go abroad as they please.
Irrespective of the Al Akhbar report, heads of Egyptian intelligence have convened over the past few weeks in Gaza with Hamas's senior officials.
Hamas denies receiving a new request for a prisoner swap, but the organization's leader Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday that his group was willing to follow through on one with the mediation of a third party.
