Israel begins compiling lists of Palestinian prisoners slated for release
Al-Khamisa News Network - Gaza
Israel has begun compiling lists of Palestinian detainees who will be released as part of preparations to accelerate negotiations with Hamas. At the same time, Israeli negotiating teams are preparing withdrawal maps that remain a point of dispute between the sides.
Israeli negotiating teams were also tasked with preparing to send a delegation to hold talks on Saturday to consider the possibility of moving forward with the first phase of the deal.
This follows U.S. President Donald Trump receiving Hamas’s response to his plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.
An Israeli official told Channel 12: “We are entering a decisive week.”
Israel is holding a meeting on Phase One and wants to focus the discussion on the issue of releasing all Israeli hostages, deferring the names of Palestinian prisoners to be released, the army’s withdrawal lines, and the meaning of a ceasefire to a subsequent phase.
According to the Israeli report, there will be fierce contention between Israel and Hamas over the direction of the negotiations. Hamas and Israel will agree to talks, with the release of all hostages as the starting point.
Meanwhile, talks were held last night between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the White House. Israel was asked to stop at this stage of the military operation in Gaza to maximize the chances of implementing the first phase of the plan — namely, the release of hostages in exchange for a defined withdrawal of Israeli forces. The aim is to conduct very short negotiations focused on the details of the mechanism for releasing Israeli hostages, the names of the Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange, and withdrawal lines.
An Israeli source said, “The details are relatively simple, and there is no intention to be dragged into protracted negotiations, and Israel will show understanding of technical issues that might extend the release for slightly more than 72 hours, provided that all hostages return alive within that period.”
The director of abductee affairs told families in Israel that “in light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing to implement Phase One of Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all abductees.”
