Israel Halts Prisoner Exchange Negotiations Amidst Complexity and Conditions

Israel thwarted the latest round of negotiations related to the prisoners’ file, which had reached an agreement involving US, Qatari, and Egyptian efforts to release 12 to 15 prisoners holding foreign nationalities. 

Israeli authorities reassured the families of its captives in Gaza that they would only accept a large-scale exchange deal.

While the Israelis did not specify the number of prisoners in the anticipated deal, media reports suggested that it might involve the exchange of a hundred prisoners from inside Gaza for Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons. 

The spokesperson for the Israeli army considered the path to implementing the deal as complex and time-consuming.

Cautionary optimism describes the Israelis’ view of the negotiation process, stating that the game’s rules have changed, and Tel Aviv has its conditions. They will not accept a comprehensive ceasefire but will allow it with each batch of released prisoners, resuming immediately after the process to prevent Hamas from exploiting the calm.

Israel is convinced that the continued release of prisoners will exert pressure on the movement and push it toward releasing more captives.

As of now, Tel Aviv has not disclosed the fate of the Palestinian prisoners in its custody. However, Palestinian security sources have mentioned that the deal includes the release of Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons.

According to data from the Palestinian Prisoners Club, as of October 7th, there were forty women in Israeli prisons, including sixty-seven, among them a pregnant woman in her seventh month, who were arrested since the Al-Aqsa Flood. 

As for children, before October 7th, there were 180 children aged ten and above, and 145 children have joined them since the war.

In any case, all prisoners endure maltreatment and collective punishments while awaiting their release, much anticipated by their families.