Prisoner Swap Talks Between Israel and Hamas Suspended
The prisoner swap negotiations between Israel and Hamas have reached a critical stage, according to officials who spoke to the Times of Israel on condition of anonymity. The report says the negotiations have been halted pending possible retaliation by Iran and the selection of a replacement for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
It is claimed that Tehran’s retaliation against Israel could happen this evening. Hamas is expected to make an announcement on who will replace Haniyeh “in the coming days.” It was noted that Qatar, the US and Israel will make efforts to continue negotiations depending on these two important developments.
The report, which drew attention to the fact that reaching an agreement on a prisoner swap has become even more difficult following a possible assassination of Haniyeh, reported that an Israeli delegation held various meetings in the Egyptian capital Cairo at the end of last week. However, it was stated that these talks mainly focused on Israel’s situation in the Philadelphia Corridor and the Rafah Border Crossing.
It was also emphasized that Hamas did not participate in these critical talks in Cairo and no progress was made. In this period when the negotiation processes have become complicated, the attitudes of the parties towards each other and the dynamics in the region are of great importance.
