Qatar, 'Israel' hint at 'progress' on Israeli captives: Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
25 Oct 2023 17:22

Israeli media say this time, the deal will be huge.

This photo shows Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the two women Hamas released on Monday, October 23, 2023, on humanitarian grounds (AP)

Israeli media reported that Qatar and "Israel" hinted at progress made on the issue of Israeli captives held by Hamas.

According to the Israeli Channel 13's military expert, Or Heller, "The deal this time will be huge," adding that "there are efforts and attempts, yet no breakthrough is achieved thus far."

"Israel is willing to delay a ground invasion of Gaza for a few days" to allow talks on releasing a large number of the captives Hamas is holding there, two Israeli officials told Axios yesterday.

Furthermore, a top Israeli official claimed that “Israel" and the Biden administration want to make every effort to ensure the release of hostages from Gaza, noting that "if Hamas proposes a large package, we will of course be prepared to do things in return.”

"The Israelis told Egyptian mediators that if Hamas wants some kind of hostage deal, it needs to release all the women and children captives," according to Israeli officials.

Read: US President fears wider war in Middle East: Axios

On the other hand, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not give priority to the file of Israeli hostages.

Haaretz newspaper noted that "increasing concerns that the chances of hostages with foreign citizenship being released are higher than the chances of those who are Israeli citizens," adding that "the Israeli hostages come in second in terms of priority."

مجاهدو كتائب القسام يقدمون الرعاية الطبية لإحدى الأسيرات في غزة، والتي تم أسرها في اليوم الأول من معركة #طوفان_الأقصى.#الميادين #فلسطين #غزة #كتائب_القسام pic.twitter.com/OHEulawrlZ
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 16, 2023

A few days earlier, the spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida estimated that there are approximately 200 to 250 captives or more, with 200 of them being held by al-Qassam Brigades.

On October 16, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in the Gaza Strip, Musab al-Breim, said the captured Israeli settlers would not return except in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Al-Breim underlined that in light of talks about a ceasefire agreement with the Israeli occupation, the Resistance's priority at the moment is to retaliate against the Israeli occupation's aggression.

A released Israeli captive was seen shaking hands with the resistance fighters that kept her captive, explaining that they were very good to her and tended to all her needs.#Palestine #Gaza pic.twitter.com/Y1D1RHfxEQ
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 24, 2023

It is worth mentioning that Abu Obeida has confirmed the release of two Israeli captives for "compelling humanitarian and medical reasons" as a result of an Egyptian-Qatari mediation, following the release of two captive US citizens, a mother and her daughter, on "humanitarian grounds" on October 20.

"In response to Qatar's efforts, we released two detained US women (mother and daughter) on humanitarian grounds to prove to the US people and the world that the allegations of [US President Joe] Biden and his fascist administration are unfounded lies," Abu Obeida said in a statement released by Hamas at the time.