Gaza, Feb 19 (IANS) Hamas said on Wednesday that it had submitted a proposal to Israel, through mediators, for a comprehensive prisoner-for-hostage swap based on the principle of “all for all” as part of ongoing negotiations.
A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposal calls for “the immediate release of all Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for Israel releasing all Palestinian prisoners in its custody.”
The official did not specify whether the proposal is part of the first phase of the agreement or linked to the upcoming second phase of negotiations.
In a press statement on Tuesday, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem affirmed the movement’s readiness for “a one-time prisoner swap in the second phase.”
However, he stressed that such a deal must be “part of an agreement leading to a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip”, Xinhua news agency reported.
Israel has not yet issued an official response to the proposal, while international efforts continue to push negotiations forward.
On Saturday, Hamas and Israel completed the sixth prisoner-for-hostage exchange following days of tense negotiations that threatened to undo the precarious ceasefire.
In the exchange, Hamas released three more Israeli hostages held in Gaza, while Israeli authorities freed 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, effective since January 19 and spanning six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians.
So far, 19 Israeli hostages, along with five Thais, have been released from Gaza, while Israeli authorities have released over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel and Hamas were supposed to begin talks on the second phase in early February. Hamas said in a statement on February 4 that it had started discussions with international mediators, whereas a spokesman for Netanyahu said on social media platform X that Israel had not yet begun negotiations on the second phase.
The second phase of the agreement is supposed to focus on the release of the remaining hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, and the implementation of a permanent ceasefire.
–IANS
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