According to the report, security officials apparently had talks with Hamas through Egyptian mediation about a week ago about a possible exchange of prisoners.
The talks apparently took place while Ghassan Alian, head of the IDF unit coordinator of government activities in the areas, started his new job about two weeks ago. According to the report, Egyptian intelligence officials met with Israeli security officials at the Erez crossing and then went to the Hamas-controlled area to talk to terror group officials.
The discussions took place over several hours, mostly about reaching an exchange agreement.
Security officials made it clear to Hamas that the terrorist group would have to compromise on the issue if it wanted economic progress, although representatives sent by Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, were demanding the release of hundreds of terrorists. According to the officials, ‘slow progress’ was made at the end of the talks, according to Walla.
Israeli officials do not have high expectations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of the National Security Council, Meir Ben Shabbat, were briefed on the details of the talks.
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According to Walla, security officers are not yet sure who fired the rockets. According to Palestinian WAFA news, two Palestinians were injured during the IDF response on Friday night.
On Saturday, Palestinians marked the day of captivity, claiming that about 4,500 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli prisons and that more than 5,000 Palestinians were arrested at one point during the corona pandemic. According to WAFA, 367 Palestinian prisoners have been infected with the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Saturday that Palestinians expect that about two-thirds of the Palestinians currently being held in Israeli prisons will be released once an agreement on the exchange of prisoners is reached.
Hamas official Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook denied at the end of March that negotiations on a possible exchange of prisoners had been renewed, according to Palestinian media.
Hamas currently holds the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, two of whom were allegedly killed in 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, as well as two civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.