Hamas: Prisoner deportations to Turkey, Qatar could be included in 'imminent' deal - report - Jerusalem Post Staff

 

by Jerusalem Post Staff

Asharq Al-Awsat cited a Hamas official as stating that a deal was "imminent," with the main points having already been agreed upon.

 

Hamas terrorist in front of Gaza hostage posters. (Illustrative)

(photo credit: Hamas Military Wing/Handout via REUTERS, MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

A hostage deal could be signed by the end of this week and could include the deportation of senior Palestinian security prisoners to Qatar and Turkey, various Arab media sites reported on Wednesday. 

A report by Saudi news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat cited a Hamas official as stating that a deal was "imminent," with the main points having already been agreed upon. 

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, in the first stage of the agreement, which is supposed to last some 45-60 days, Hamas would release some 30 hostages, both alive and deceased, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. 

Saudi outlet Al-Hadath quoted sources saying that Hamas agreed to release sick, elderly, and female soldiers held hostage by the terror organization.

In addition, IDF troops would withdraw from cities within the Gaza Strip.

A woman stands next to posters with photos of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 20, 2024. (credit: CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS/REUTERS)

However, they would remain in the Philadelphi and Netazrim corridors. These corridors run parallel to the border with Egypt and cut across central Gaza, respectively. 

Palestinian women and children would be allowed to return to northern Gaza. 

On Tuesday, officials with knowledge of the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post that a hostage deal could be achieved within a month, with significant advances being made. 

Hostage deal reportedly 'closer than ever'

This follows a Tuesday Washington Post report, citing a Hamas official, which claimed the terror group had ceded its demands that the war ends and that Israeli troops withdraw from the Gaza Strip in the framework of a hostage deal.

"There is a noticeable shift in public opinion,” a Hamas member was quoted as saying by the publication, adding, “There is now a strong desire to end the war at any cost.”

On Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said a hostage deal was closer than ever. 

Such a remark was reiterated by a senior Hamas official, cited in the Saudi news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We are closer than ever to reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire, provided that Netanyahu does not obstruct the agreement,” he reportedly said.

Amichai Stein, Sam Halpern and Raquel Guertzenstein Frohlich contributed to this report. 

 
Jerusalem Post Staff

Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-833925

Follow Middle East and Terrorism on Twitter