Hamas and Israel on way to prisoner swap?
Reports of a pending prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas have again resurfaced.
Photo by Kobi Richter/TPS on 18 April, 2019
A Gaza source close to the Hamas leadership says that after the government in Israel is formed at the end of the month, talks on an exchange of prisoners between Israel and the terror group will move forward.
The prisoner swap will be part of a general Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between the sides.
Hamas leaders in recent days have begun to “market” the pending deal and are describing it as better than the 2011Shalit deal, in which IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was released by Hamas in exchange for Israel’s release of 1,027 imprisoned terrorists, and are promising another “respectable deal” in the near future.
Hamas terrorist Musa Dudin, who was released from Israeli prison under the Shalit deal and is now entrusted with Hamas’ prisoners’ portfolio, stated Thursday that a European offer for a prisoner exchange was rejected. He said the offer included the transfer of information on the whereabouts of the Israelis held by Hamas in exchange for the bodies of Hamas terrorists killed during Operation Protective Edge.
Hamas, which rules Gaza, is believed to be holding the remains of two IDF soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, killed during Operation Protective edge in the summer of 2014.
In addition, Hamas is believed to be holding two Israeli civilians who scaled the border fence and entered Gaza willingly. Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Hisham al-Sayed, are both said to be suffering from mental health issues.
This conflict must be solved sensibly by all groups.