The Arab world and the larger allies of the USA in the Middle East are not happy with the way in which Hamas used and spiralled the conflict to extreme escalations. And to make sure that things cool down, Egypt has started talking sense into Hamas after succeeding to make Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire. Now, Egypt has made Hamas accept Israel’s prisoner swap offer.
According to Arabic media, Egypt’s chief of intelligence, Abbas Kamel, has written a prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Gaza. If this agreement is reached, Egypt’s relationship with the Gaza Strip will be improved.
Abbas Kamel, Egypt’s intelligence chief, urged Palestinian groups to pursue national reconciliation as he explored ways to strengthen an informal ceasefire mediated by Cairo. Mr Kamel met in Gaza a day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, according to Egypt’s national news agency. Following the meeting on Monday, Hamas’ top commander voiced optimism that a prisoner swap with Israel might be reached, as Egyptian mediators want a long-term ceasefire following an 11-day battle in Gaza earlier this month.
Egyptian flags festooned the Gaza Strip to welcome Kamel, and Hamas authorities set up billboards and posters thanking Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi for his support, although Egypt has long sought to keep the terror group at arm’s length. “The matter of prisoner exchanges saw some movement during the past period, but it came to a halt due to what [Israel] went through,” Sinwar said, a possible reference to Israel’s internal political turmoil and repeated elections.
“The matter of prisoner exchanges saw some movement during the past period, but it came to a halt due to what [Israel] went through,” Sinwar said, a possible reference to Israel’s internal political turmoil and repeated elections. Hamas holds two Israeli civilians captive — Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu — as well as the bodies of two Israeli soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.
During the conflict, 253 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is managed by Hamas. Terrorist groups in Gaza claim that 80 of the total casualties were combatants, however, Israel claims that the true number is much higher. Thirteen Israelis were killed, including a 5-year-old boy and a soldier.
Now, the Arab allies of the USA, including the Abraham Accord countries and Egypt are not in any mood to give any leeway to Hamas to restart the conflict or try to use it to its own advantage and after getting the ceasefire successful, Egypt is knocking some sense in Hamas and forcing it to accept Israel’s prisoner swap offer.
