Israel sets conditions for prisoner swap, cease-fire in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel has set six conditions for a prisoner swap and cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli news channel has revealed.

According to Channel 12, Israel is waiting for a response from the Palestinian resistance group Hamas through mediators.

“The mediators’ answer is expected to come today or tomorrow after listening to Hamas about whether it is possible to move forward and if it shows flexibility in its declared demand to stop fighting and withdraw all forces from the Gaza Strip,” according to Channel 12.

“Within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will know whether we can make progress toward starting the talks,” the Israeli broadcaster said, citing an unnamed Israeli official.

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has made an offer for a cease-fire and prisoner swap, but did not reveal any of the conditions.

However, Channel 12 revealed the Netanyahu government’s six conditions, the most important of which is the release of prisoners in exchange for a cease-fire in Gaza, which is currently under siege amid intensified Israeli military bombardment.

The broadcaster claimed that Israel would keep the deal with Hamas “classified” and would not accept it publicly. Israel would describe Hamas’s gradual release of all prisoners as “humanitarian” in nature.

Hamas would release prisoners in stages, beginning with women, the elderly, and the injured, then men who are not soldiers, and finally Israeli soldiers and corpses, it said.

During the process, a cease-fire for several weeks, most likely two to three months, would be declared to complete prisoner-swapping procedures, the broadcaster said.

Israel would withdraw from residential areas throughout the enclave, allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza.

Israel would not commit to ending the war at any stage.

Hamas on several occasions has said it will not engage in talks on a prisoner swap until a full and permanent cease-fire in Gaza is achieved.

Israel launched its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following on October 7, killing at least 25,490 Palestinians and injuring 63,354.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.