Hamas Close to Agreeing with Israel on Prisoner Swap

The Palestinian Hamas movement and Israel are close to reaching a comprehensive and “long-term” truce agreement which includes a prisoner exchange deal, announced Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi.

Hanegbi explained that some obstacles still persist, especially since Hamas refuses to discuss the issue of captured Israeli soldiers before the release of Palestinian prisoners who were freed during the “Shalit deal” and re-arrested by Israeli authorities.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz stressed that a truce agreement cannot be reached in the Gaza Strip without the return of Israeli soldiers and citizens held by Hamas.

Former Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, who plans to run for the leadership of the movement’s politburo, had met with Tony Blair several times last year, and with representatives of the US administration and countries such as Switzerland, Germany, and France.

His discussions focused on the possibility of these international powers recognizing the Hamas movement in return for it to alter its operations, abandon military activities and cease hampering political efforts.

Blair is the special representative of the Quartet of international powers seeking a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel, according to informed Israeli sources.

The sources confirmed that there are intense discussions on the matter among Hamas officials, as well as between Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

The agreement is also being debated among Israeli officials, even within the Shin Bet and security services, however, the matter will be decided by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has electoral interests to take into account.

Israel insists on not completing the understandings reached by Egypt last March unless the prisoner exchange deal is completed, Yedioth Ahronoth quoted a governmental source as saying.

The source noted that Israel will not execute any of its obligations unless the swap deal is completed. Only then it will be possible to proceed with the projects that will ease the siege on Gaza.