Israel ready to resume talks for new prisoner swap with Hamas

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel is ready to resume contact with mediators for the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza, the local media has reported.

The new prisoner exchange deal would be carried out within the framework of a humanitarian truce and include women still in captivity, patients, the wounded and elderly people, said Israel’s Channel 12.

Israel claims there are still women being held captive by Hamas, a claim rejected by the Palestinian resistance group, which says those women are soldiers and were taken captive while wearing Israeli army uniforms.

According to Israeli media, Hamas still holds 137 captives including 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners.

Channel 12 said Israeli officials believe that the chances of reaching a new prisoner swap deal with Hamas are not likely next week but Israel still believes in opening a new path, benefiting from the pressure on Hamas that has resulted from the attacks in Gaza.

The channel quoted a military source as saying that the intensity of attacks has begun to open a path for a prisoner swap that must not be missed.

During the week-long suspension of Israel’s attacks in Gaza, a prisoner swap took place under Qatari, Egyptian and US mediation which resulted in the release of 84 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for releasing 240 Palestinians from Israeli jails, including 71 women and 169 children.

At least 18,205 Palestinians have been killed and more than 49,645 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since October 7.