Negotiations over the release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners remain stalled, although Israel says it is willing to accept the prisoners after Hamas offered to release them ahead of schedule.
Hamas has confirmed that 20 prisoners are alive and could be released within hours if Israel brings in leaders such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa’adat in the exchange.
Anonymous Israeli officials told Hebrew-language media that the military had completed its preparations, but one source told the Times of Israel that “there is no change in the assessment of the intelligence.”
The government reportedly removed several Fatah names from prisoner lists and replaced them with Hamas detainees under pressure from far-right ministers.
Observers have warned that Israel’s refusal to release Palestinian officials could jeopardize the fragile ceasefire and intensify Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis.