Details of the New American Proposal for a Prisoner Exchange Deal

Channel 12 in Israel revealed details of the American proposal presented during the Doha negotiations, indicating that it specified the number and names of the detainees to be released in the first phase.

According to the American proposal, women, female soldiers, and living detainees would be released first. The proposal also includes the names of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for each Israeli prisoner.

The report added that the list of Palestinian prisoners includes the names of 47 prisoners who were released in the Shalit deal and have recently been re-imprisoned.

The channel noted that “the proposal met most of Israel’s demands but did not resolve the disagreement over the Philadelphi and Netzarim areas.”

Earlier, the Hebrew newspaper “Israel Hayom” quoted a political source stating that “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to resume the war after exhausting the expected agreement with Hamas and is requesting a written American commitment.”

Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated significant progress in various areas with the mediators.

This comes as mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt continue to reach a deal that ensures a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange, with Israeli reports of “cautious optimism.”

The Qatari capital, Doha, witnessed two new rounds of indirect negotiations regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip over the past Thursday and Friday, following an invitation from the mediating countries to resume talks aimed at finalizing a deal between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli negotiating team participating in the talks expressed “cautious optimism” to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the possibility of moving forward with the deal based on the proposal presented by the United States.

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli team also expressed hope that pressure from Washington and the mediators on Hamas would lead to the acceptance of the American proposal and a breakthrough in the negotiations.

For his part, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed optimism about reaching a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange deal in Gaza, saying, “I am optimistic, but it is not over yet. There are a few other issues, but I think we have a chance.”

In contrast, Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP that “talk of an imminent ceasefire agreement is an illusion.”

He emphasized that “the occupation continues to obstruct all efforts to reach any agreement,” adding, “We are not facing a real agreement or negotiations but rather the imposition of American dictates.”