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A leading source in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Sunday that the atmosphere of optimism that an agreement on a possible prisoner exchange deal will soon be reached does not reflect the truth, after reports spoke of progress in the negotiations that may allow an agreement to be concluded before the month of Ramadan.

The leading source added that the movement dealt with the mediators positively to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and stop the war of extermination to which they are being subjected in Gaza, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of evading responding to the most important demands of the resistance, which are to stop the aggression, the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces, and the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip.

The same source confirmed that killing the Palestinian people through starvation in the north is a genocidal crime that threatens the entire process of negotiations.

Earlier today, the Official Broadcasting Authority quoted Israeli sources as saying that there was optimism that understandings would be reached before the month of Ramadan, which begins in less than two weeks. However, it quoted a security official that the potential deal would not prevent the ground operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

For its part, Israeli Channel 12 quoted an Israeli official - whose identity was not revealed - that there was significant progress and a solid basis for the talks, expressing his optimism about reaching an agreement on a possible prisoner exchange deal.

The Israeli channel said that the War Council decided to allow an Israeli delegation to go to Qatar in the coming days to continue talks on the exchange deal, thus confirming information revealed by other Israeli officials and media yesterday, Saturday.

Last night, the War Council met after the Israeli delegation returned from talks in Paris to discuss a possible agreement on a new truce and prisoner exchange.

Last Friday, the head of the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service (Mossad), David Barnea, participated - last Friday - in a new round of talks regarding a possible agreement that includes an exchange of prisoners and an expanded truce in Gaza, along with the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, and Prime Minister Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that his government is working to reach an additional agreement to free the detainees, vowing in the meantime to proceed with his plans to invade Rafah, which is crowded with displaced people.

Commenting on the Paris talks, National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that there was likely room to “move forward toward an agreement,” but he said that the potential agreement did not mean the end of the war, which is the same position that was repeatedly echoed by Netanyahu and the pillars of his government.

Demonstration in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu (Reuters)

Demonstrations against Netanyahu

Last night, the Israeli police suppressed a demonstration in central Tel Aviv demanding the conclusion of a prisoner exchange agreement, under the pretext that it was illegal and disrupted public security.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the Israeli police arrested 18 demonstrators, including the organizer of a demonstration calling for the overthrow of Benjamin Netanyahu's government and holding early elections.

Haifa, Eilat, and Beersheba witnessed similar demonstrations that coincided with the continued movement of families of Israelis detained in Gaza to demand that the government conclude an immediate prisoner exchange deal.

Tel Aviv estimates the number of Israeli prisoners remaining with the resistance in the Gaza Strip at about 130, and it is likely that 30 of them were killed.

New frame

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that the Paris meetings concluded with “broad lines” that could eventually lead to a truce in Gaza.

For its part, the Washington Post quoted two sources familiar with the Paris talks that American, Egyptian and Qatari officials presented a more detailed framework for a possible agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The newspaper said that the new detailed framework proposes that Hamas, in the first stage, release 40 Israeli prisoners in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a truce in Gaza for a period of 6 weeks.

The new proposals include the start of the return of some residents of the northern Gaza Strip to their areas, according to what was stated in the newspaper’s report.

The Washington Post reported that the previous agreement framework also included a truce for a period of 6 weeks, but it was not as detailed as the new framework that was presented in Friday’s talks in Paris.

The source told the American newspaper that the new Paris meetings allowed for progress that would lead to more serious negotiations on a new agreement during the next few days.

In the talks that took place weeks ago in Paris and then in Cairo, a framework was reached, and the mediators received a response from Israel and Hamas, and Tel Aviv rejected the movement’s demands and considered them unrealistic.

Hamas and other factions stressed that any agreement must lead to a cessation of aggression and the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, which is what the Netanyahu government has rejected so far.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies