After blocking aid and cutting off electricity to Gaza… Israel is considering re-arresting prisoners released in previous prisoner swap deals to pressure Hamas
The Israeli media reported on Monday that Israel is considering re-arresting Palestinian prisoners released as part of exchange deals with Hamas, in order to pressure the movement to accept Tel Aviv’s conditions for a new agreement.
Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli captives from Gaza as part of two temporary ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreements since the start of the 19-month-long genocidal war.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that after blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and cutting off the only electricity line in the Gaza Strip, Israel is considering a dramatic step toward Hamas: re-arresting Palestinians released in previous prisoner exchanges, particularly those released in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
During the exchange deals, Israel released Palestinian prisoners who returned to the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Gaza, while dozens of others were deported outside the Palestinian territories.
According to the Israeli channel, Israel is considering carrying out mass arrests, not just one or two, but dozens at the same time.
Channel 12 noted that this step had been proposed previously during discussions by the security cabinet, but was rejected by the security establishment on all occasions, believing it to be a mistake.
“After government ministers continued to push in this direction, especially Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who spoke about the issue a few months ago, this step was reconsidered in recent days,” channel 12 added.
The Israeli channel explained that the cabinet meeting, scheduled for next Tuesday, will discuss several issues, most notably setting a deadline for mediators and Hamas to respond to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal, which includes the release of 10 hostages and a discussion on ending the war.
The Israeli continued, “When the deadline is set, and assuming no agreement is reached by then, Israel intends to move to another phase of fighting and change its goal… If the goal today is to develop a plan to release the hostages, the goal will shift to fighting Hamas to defeat it, as it was before the ceasefire”.
The Israeli channel claimed that Israel is giving mediators more opportunities to reach an agreement, fearing that a new phase of fighting could impact the fate of its prisoners in Gaza.
Israel wants a prisoner exchange but refuses to commit to ending the war and withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, a demand Hamas insists upon.
