During the Gaza negotiations in Egypt, the radical Islamic group Hamas said it exchanged “lists of prisoners requested for release” with Israel today. This probably means, on the one hand, the hostages still held in Gaza and, on the other hand, the Palestinians who are to be released from Israeli custody in return.
US President Donald Trump’s peace plan stipulates that Israel’s army will withdraw to a line to be agreed upon and that the hostages will be released in return. In addition, in exchange for the hostages, Israel should release around 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment as well as around 1,700 others who were imprisoned after October 7, 2023.
Negotiations in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, have been ongoing since Monday. The state-affiliated Egyptian television channel Al-Kahira News reported that these were expected to continue around midday today. It could take several days for a result.
Points of contention remain
“The mediators are making enormous efforts to remove all obstacles to the implementation of a ceasefire,” said Hamas media coordinator Taher al-Nunu, according to a statement. Everyone involved is optimistic. However, points of contention remain – including the details of Israel’s partial troop withdrawal in the event of an agreement.
Which prisoners Israel would release in return for the hostages is one of the controversial questions. According to negotiating circles, Hamas is demanding the release of particularly well-known figures such as Marwan Barghouti, the most prominent Palestinian prisoner in Israel from the leadership of the Fatah movement. Israel refuses to release him.
The Israeli news site “ynet”, citing Palestinian sources, reported that Barghouti’s wife traveled to Cairo from Ramallah on Tuesday evening. Against the background of negotiations over Barghouti’s possible release, her trip to the host country of the ongoing Gaza talks was notable, it said.
