Israeli media reported on Thursday that a senior US government official provided new details last night regarding the prisoner exchange deal and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
US official provides new details on prisoner swap deal, Gaza ceasefire
He said, "The two issues currently on the agenda are the Philadelphi axis and the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners who are scheduled to be released. The elements that form the focus of the talks are humanitarian aid to Gaza, the exchange of kidnapped and detained people, and ceasefire arrangements."
Regarding the exchange of Palestinian and Israeli prisoners, the official explained, "Last week we focused on it a lot during the negotiations. We talked about the list of kidnapped people and there was progress, but since then kidnapped people have been killed, and we demand that Hamas take responsibility. And now more than that, some of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released are senior officials."
However, the official stressed: "The Israelis will have veto power over some prisoners, especially in the first phase (which is expected to include female abductees, female soldiers, men over 50 and the wounded)."
"There is a list of the abductees, but now there are six fewer names, which is terrible, and Hamas is threatening to execute more abductees. We understand that we are dealing with a terrorist organization. There is a certain number of prisoners for each abductee. Now there are fewer abductees, which is tragic and terrible," he added.
Regarding the participation of the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, he said: “He is involved in the talks. Hamas leaders are present deep in the tunnels, and this indicates the nature of the talks. It is clear that Sinwar is the one who makes the final decision.”
Regarding humanitarian aid to the Strip, he said, “During the previous agreement in November, there were 200 trucks entering the Strip daily. This time, if Hamas agrees to release the kidnapped soldiers, there will be 600 trucks daily, including 50 fuel trucks. In addition, the aid will include the restoration and reconstruction of hospitals, water infrastructure, bakeries, and assistance in resettling Palestinians who were transferred from their places of residence. This is significant aid and has already been agreed upon.”
Regarding the ceasefire arrangements, the source said: "There is a three-stage plan that you know. In the first stage, the withdrawal from densely populated areas. Within 42 days, we will talk about the second stage. When the agreement begins, it should eventually lead to a complete ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces."
"We have been working with Qatar and Egypt on a comprehensive package," the official said cautiously. "The execution of course affects the content and also adds urgency, but it also raises questions about Hamas's seriousness regarding the deal."
Regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, he added: “The proposal includes a significant reduction in Israeli forces, but it is still a controversial issue. The first stage is about withdrawing from densely populated areas, and the second stage is a complete withdrawal, which will be agreed upon during the talks between the two stages. In light of the fact that there was a discussion about what constitutes a densely populated area along the corridor, the Israelis presented a proposal according to which they will significantly reduce their presence in Netzarim, which is a fairly significant reduction, but outside the densely populated areas, which is technically in line with the deal. At the moment, there is agreement on 14 of the 18 items in the deal.”
However, the source stressed that "nothing is final. There is disagreement over some matters, even within Israel."
He also attacked the Israeli government, saying: "All the statements of the ministers in Israel that we do not take Israel's security into consideration are simply incorrect and cause nothing but harm."
Hamas official Osama Hamdan responded to the talk in an interview with a Qatari channel: “The talk about withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor in the second phase of the deal raises two questions: If Israel is prepared to cooperate with the idea of withdrawal, why not in the first phase? The second question is why will there not be a withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor, as there will be a withdrawal from other areas in the Gaza Strip in the first phase? We need the American administration to show a desire and seriousness to stop the aggression and for Israel to commit to what it has proposed. If the American administration is unable to oblige Israel, the question is what is the credibility of presenting new ideas if it is not possible in the end to force Israel to commit to them.”
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