Israel is monitoring with interest the Egyptians' efforts to promote a new prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. Political sources refuse to comment on the content of the Egyptian proposal, but confirm that the channel exists and are even satisfied that there are in fact two tracks in which efforts are currently being made to bring about a deal. One via Cairo and the other vis-à-vis Qatar. A diplomatic source says that at this stage there is no breakthrough on either track, and the difficulties are very many, but he adds that both channels are active.
At the same time, according to Palestinian reports, an Islamic Jihad delegation led by Secretary General Ziad Nahaleh arrived in Cairo to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
Ziad Nahla, leader of Islamic Jihad, photo: IDF Spokesperson
The reports come after the Saudi channel Al-Sharq reported earlier in the morning that Egypt was concocting a new initiative for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel: the first phase of the initiative would include a two-week humanitarian pause, during which 40 abductees would be released in exchange for 120 Palestinian prisoners. The second stage will include talks on rebuilding the Gaza Strip and preparing for general elections for the Palestinian Authority's presidency, and the third phase will include a full ceasefire and a comprehensive prisoner exchange deal. According to this initiative, Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip at this stage and allow the displaced persons to return to northern Gaza.
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