Cairo and Doha coordinate to complete ‘deal on prisoners’
Cairo continues its regional and international contacts to advance the issue of prisoner exchange between Palestinian resistance factions and Israel, especially in light of Israeli obstruction attempts that have emerged over the past two days.
An informed source revealed that Egyptian communications “have focused over the last twenty-four hours on the American and Qatari tracks,” in an attempt to advance ongoing consultations regarding the completion of an imminent prisoner exchange between the two sides in the conflict. in the Gaza Strip. Strip.
The source who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, on the condition that his identity not be made public, explained that Egypt “is continuing its intense efforts on this path despite Israeli statements that change from time to time according to” political calculations linked to parties within the government”, indicating that Egypt “considers this dossier as part of a broader objective, which is to build measures that lead to a long ceasefire.
Regional and international parties
Regarding the coordination currently underway with regional and international parties, the source indicated that “Egypt is open to all parties and supports any effort that leads to improving the situation in the Gaza Strip”, underlining that contacts with the American authorities they are “making progress”. in light of Washington’s desire to release detainees, especially those with American citizenship, as soon as possible, adding that coordination with Qatar “is taking place at the highest levels with the aim of coordinating our efforts and ensuring the success of joint efforts”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a press conference on Saturday that no prisoner exchange had been agreed upon with Hamas, and stressed that information relating to a possible agreement for the release of the hostages would be published “if and when” tangible developments had occurred, after he had hinted this week and in the past, in televised statements to an American network, that “an agreement is close to being reached”.
According to Israeli authorities, the Hamas movement has held 239 Israelis and foreigners hostages since October 7, while the Palestinian resistance movement has reservations about announcing the details of the prisoners it holds, but has announced the killing of some of them following of Israeli bombings, as the “Brigades” announced. Al-Qassam, the military arm of the Hamas movement, said Saturday that it had lost contact with groups that protect Israeli prisoners, stressing that their fate “is still unknown. “
Egyptian-Qatari format
In the same context, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Lulwa Al Khater, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation of the State of Qatar, as part of his visit to deliver Qatari aid to Al-Arish Airport and the crossing of Rafah. According to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the talks covered ways to coordinate joint efforts to improve access of humanitarian aid and relief to the brotherly Palestinian people. The two ministers also exchanged “assessments of the movements and communications undertaken by Egypt and Qatar on the way to stopping the war in Gaza”, in which they underlined the inevitability of an immediate and unrestricted cessation. The conditions for the opening fire, international parties assuming their responsibilities to stop Israeli violations against civilians and civilian structures in violation of the norms of international law and international humanitarian law, the need to hold perpetrators accountable and respect on the part of Israel of its obligations as an occupying power.
The visit comes a day after a call between French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, regarding the ongoing negotiations for the release of prisoners held by the Hamas movement in Gaza, as announced by the Elysée.
The French presidency said: “The leaders of the three countries discussed the situation of the hostages and the measures taken to free them.” Macron noted that “the release of the hostages, including 8 French citizens, is an absolute priority for France” and that they must be “freed without delay.” He reiterated “the need for an immediate truce leading to a ceasefire”, while “the number of civilian victims in Gaza is increasing” and “hospitals and schools” are being bombed.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani confirmed on Sunday that reaching an agreement to release detainees held by Hamas after its attack on Israel more than a month ago depends on “simple and logistical” issues.
At a press conference in Doha he said that “the remaining challenges in the negotiations are much smaller than the larger ones, as they are more logistical and practical”, explaining that the negotiations on the agreement are seeing “fluctuations from time to time in the in recent weeks.” The mediation of Qatar and Egypt has so far managed to release 4 women detained last October.
Political pressure document
For his part, Dr. Saeed Okasha, an expert on Israeli affairs at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, stressed that negotiations on the issue of prisoners and detainees held by Hamas are ongoing and continue despite Israeli statements, explaining that there is a track led by Qatar and another led by Egypt, and “sometimes coordination occurs between the two tracks”.
In his statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, Okasha stressed that America is more reliant on the Qatari path to achieve progress, given Qatar’s relations and years of financial support for the Hamas movement, but added that “no agreement can be concluded without coordination with Egypt”.
Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s Internal Security Service (Shin Bet), visited Egypt in the middle of this month, to meet with senior Egyptian officials and discuss an expected agreement for the release of detainees held by the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli press reports.
Internal disputes
The Israeli affairs expert confirmed that the Israeli government’s positions regarding the prisoner dossier are “confusing and controlled by internal disputes,” stressing that many members of Israel’s wartime government see the completion of a prisoner exchange deal as “a victory for (Hamas).”
He added that Israeli behavior and indiscriminate bombing indicate the existence of an Israeli desire to get rid of the prisoners so that they do not become a political pressure card on the government, in a real dilemma experienced by Israeli society, which is governed by the contradictions of the desire to liberate the prisoners in agreement with “Hamas” and at the same time continue the war to eliminate them.
The pace of protests by critics of the Israeli government’s stance towards prisoners has increased in recent days, as a mass march was organized in which thousands of people participated, led by the families of prisoners in the Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv in Jerusalem to pressure the government to respond to efforts to free prisoners and detainees.
On the other hand, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, confirmed on Thursday that Israel “will not recover its prisoners except by paying the price determined by the movement”, stressing that Hamas is ready to fight a “long battle” . “