FALCONPOWERS – Hamas has informed mediators that it is demanding a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of less than 20 Israeli prisoners. The group also demands full freedom of movement for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and a wide-scale withdrawal of the Israeli army. In return, Hamas will only release about half of the agreed-upon number of captives.
Additionally, Hamas is demanding a significant increase in the number of Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for each captive, including many prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons.
According to the report, the reduction in the number of Israeli prisoners that Hamas will commit to releasing in the first stage, from 42 to 20, is due to either the remaining prisoners not being alive or the movement’s inability to reach the prisoners due to logistical difficulties caused by continuous Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip for the past 192 days.
Israeli reports state that Hamas has reiterated its position regarding the number of prisoners it demands to be released, including the number of Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences that it insists should be included in the deal. The reports mention that Hamas is seeking “international assurances” within the framework of the first stage to end the Israeli war on Gaza.
