Netanyahu discussed Egyptian proposal for prisoner swap with Hamas: Report

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a new Egyptian proposal for a prisoner exchange with the Palestinian group Hamas during a briefing session Thursday that included Israel’s negotiation team and heads of security agencies, Israeli media reported.

Channel 12 said that Netanyahu held a review session regarding the Israeli hostages in Gaza, without providing further details.

According to the channel’s sources, the Egyptian proposal includes “the release of eight living Israeli hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire.”

Channel 12 also said the proposal includes moving on to discussions for the second phase of the deal after the release of the eight hostages.

Israeli officials told the channel that “the chances of reaching an agreement are increasing.”

The report added that families of the hostages, who recently met with unidentified American officials, are feeling “optimistic about the possibility of a breakthrough in the coming days.”

There has been no comment from Egypt on the report and Hamas has not issued an response.

Netanyahu’s office said Thursday that he briefed the families of the hostages in Gaza during a meeting in Jerusalem, informing them of “ongoing efforts” to secure their return and confirming that “negotiation channels are currently active.”

Israel estimates that 59 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with at least 22 of them alive. They were expected to be set free in a second phase of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which would require Israel to fully withdraw its forces from Gaza and end the war permanently.

But Israel renewed its assault and broke the January ceasefire agreement. It has killed more than 50,800 Palestinians in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and reduced the enclave to rubble.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.