This was stated by an Egyptian source related to Israel-Hamas mediation regarding the formation of a prisoner exchange deal • According to the source, Israel demanded preliminary information about the prisoners and their situation
Following recent reports of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, Egyptian sources related to Egyptian mediation consultations between Gaza and Israel officials have revealed to Al-Arab al-Jadid newspaper that Israel has sent a message that it is ready to take positive action on a deal. The sources said that Israeli authorities invited the Egyptian mediator to convey a message that Hamas would release information about the prisoners and their situation. This is in exchange for initial steps, including the release of old and sick prisoners as a test of seriousness for Sinwar's initiative in an interview with Al Aqsa TV.
Yahya Sinwar comes to a demonstration on the Gaza border
According to Egyptian sources, the Israeli message included details of steps that would include the release of several prisoners later. At the same time, the Israelis fear that they will be subject to pressure and extortion by the Palestinian factions following the implementation of the deal - on other issues. According to the sources, if Israeli conditions are agreed, then the latter will not execute the deal in a short period, but the steps will take several months to ensure that the factions do not escalate during the period when Israel is dealing with the spread of the Corona virus.
The sources emphasized that Hamas, for its part, is prepared to respond in such a way that it is serious on all sides. They added that Cairo, for its part, contacted the Hamas leadership to inform it of the Israeli message as well as the Islamic Jihad after receiving information from the Israeli side about the organization's efforts to launch missiles at Gaza-bound communities.
According to sources, senior Palestinian intelligence officials demanded from Islamic Jihad Secretary Ziad Nahala "the need to coordinate restraint and not to undermine Egyptian efforts to ease the siege of the Gaza Strip and prevent the entire region from deteriorating into a campaign that does not take into account the consequences of the sensitive situation."
Three days ago, the Lebanese newspaper quoted Hamas leadership as Ahmad Barba, quoting senior officials who confirmed that Hamas leader Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, had conveyed to Egyptian intelligence mediators the essentials of an exchange deal with Israel and that details of the initiative were drafted by Israel.
According to the Lebanese newspaper, Sinwar suggests that Israel will initially release dozens of prisoners, mostly elderly, sick and underage, in exchange for information about the fate of the three Israeli civilians who crossed the Gaza Strip and are held by Hamas. According to the report in Lebanon, this is a preliminary deal as a trust-building step for a bargain that will include the restoration of the bodies of IDF Hadar Goldin and Oron Saul soldiers.
The Lebanese newspaper mentioned the terms of the deal of 25 Palestinian prisoners released as part of the Shalit deal as the basis for the allegedly embroidered deal between Israel and Hamas mediated by Egyptian intelligence.