Yedioth Ahronoth: Israel fears that Israeli prisoners in Gaza will fall into the hands of factions that are difficult to negotiate with if Hamas collapses
Israeli security sources expressed their fear that Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip could fall into the hands of parties with whom negotiations are difficult, should Hamas collapse.
Yedioth Ahronoth quoted unnamed sources as saying that they expressed to the prisoners’ families their fear that if Hamas collapses, their relatives could fall into the hands of other parties with whom negotiations are difficult.
Tel Aviv estimates that there are 58 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive.
Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
The sources added, “Amid the chaotic situation in the Gaza Strip, there are fears that the prisoners will be handed over to ‘armed militias’ or other parties”.
According to sources, “there is fear that elements within the Hamas leadership might decide to secede from the movement and take the hostages with them as bargaining chips in the future”.
Sources continued, “In this case, it will be difficult to conduct negotiations, as Israel would be forced to speak with multiple different parties, not just one”.
Hamas has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to preserving the lives of prisoners, despite Israel’s indiscriminate, bloody bombardment and systematic starvation of some 2.4 million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israeli security sources believe this potential scenario requires pushing toward reaching an agreement regarding the hostages today before it’s too late.
Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners in one batch in exchange for an end to the war of extermination, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is evading the agreement by proposing new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian factions, and is currently insisting on reoccupying Gaza.
The Israeli opposition and prisoners’ families assert that Netanyahu is continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to advance his personal political interests, particularly his continued hold on power.
