Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh has announced the movement is ready to negotiate a prisoner swap deal if Israel positively responds to its demands.
During a telephone conversation with Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for MENA and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Haniyeh said the movement is determined to release the prisoners within the framework of the exchange deal that can be accomplished if Israeli officials respond to the requirements.
Haniyeh did not clarify what the requirements were, but the movement has long proposed the release of all prisoners of the previous deal, who were later detained, before making any new deal.
Hamas asserted it would deal with any real response to the initiative put forward by its leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.
The group’s spokesman Hazem Kassem indicated that the “ball now is in the occupation’s court to take practical steps,” reiterating the movement’s support to Sinwar’s initiative of releasing captured soldiers with al-Qassam Brigades, in exchange of elderly, female, ill, and children prisoners.
Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Sinwar's call for progressing the issue of prisoners on both sides.
The Israeli occupation government said it was willing to start indirect talks with Hamas to conclude an agreement leading to the release of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
A statement issued by the Israeli government said the coordinator for prisoners and missing persons, Yaron Blum, and its security services are ready to work constructively to recover the dead and missing soldiers in Gaza, calling for immediate dialogue with the mediators.
But member of Hamas politburo, Moussa Dudin, warned that Netanyahu’s statements serve his propaganda, saying that the last thing that interests the PM is the recovery of Israeli prisoners detained with the resistance.
Dudin warned that Israel had a “window of opportunity” will not always be there, cautioning that Israel will be forced to negotiate later under more difficult conditions.
“Israel knows what the demands are and that they should not be discussed in the media.”
Many previous rounds failed to make any progress to complete the exchange deal, given that the Israeli government did not agree to the conditions, namely the release of 2011 Shalit deal prisoners, who were recaptured by the occupation forces.
Last week, Sinwar announced the movement is willing to make partial concessions on the issue of the two Israeli soldiers in its custody, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.
He said that Hamas is ready for the humanitarian initiative, in exchange for Israel’s approval to release the elderly, sick, and female Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli Defense Minister, Naftali Bennett, linked providing aid to Gaza to combat coronavirus with recovering soldiers held by Hamas.
Bennett warned that Israel will not provide aid unless the Palestinians made concessions over the deal.
Countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Sweden, and Germany are expected to contribute to help move the talks forward.
There are 4 Israelis with Hamas in Gaza Strip including Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were captured by the movement in the war that broke out in the summer of 2014. Israel believes Shaul and Goldin are dead, however, Hamas does not provide any information about their fate.
Also, Hamas detains Avera Mengistu, an Israeli of Ethiopian descent, and Hashim Badawi al-Sayyid, who is of Arab descent. Both crossed Gaza borders at two different times after the war.
