Talks continue in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on the resumption of prisoner exchange negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli press reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the short-term ceasefire in Gaza proposed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, despite support from most government ministers.
According to reports, Mossad Director David Barnea, CIA Director William Burns, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman al-Thani met in Doha yesterday to resume negotiations on a prisoner swap. The meetings between Barnea, Al Thani, and Burns are set to continue today.
Following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli raid on Rafah in southern Gaza on October 16, the prisoner swap issue was put back on the agenda by U.S. and Tel Aviv administrations. Hamas reportedly holds 101 Israeli prisoners in Gaza.
Two-day truce offer rejected
Israeli state television KAN and Channel 12 reported that the Tel Aviv government rejected the Egyptian proposal. According to Channel 12’s website, while most Israeli government ministers supported the Egyptian proposal, Netanyahu opposed it. Netanyahu reportedly argued that “talks on a prisoner swap will only continue as long as the attacks on Gaza continue.” The report noted that Israeli security units had supported the Egyptian offer.
President Sisi had proposed a two-day ceasefire initiative for exchanging four Israeli prisoners and some Palestinians detained in Gaza. “Negotiations will take place in the next 10 days to turn the temporary truce into a permanent one,” el-Sisi said.
‘We must make painful concessions’
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who has been at odds with Netanyahu and his right-wing partners over the management of post-war Gaza and is expected to be dismissed soon, said “painful concessions” would be necessary to secure the prisoners’ return.
Speaking at a memorial service for the victims of the “Aqsa Flood,” Gallant stated: “In war, not all goals can be achieved by military means. Power is not the answer to everything. The return of the Gaza prisoners to their homes requires painful compromises. We must do it for the prisoners, for their families, for the fallen soldiers, for the legacy of the army, for Jewish and national values. This is our responsibility.”
