The Hamas terrorist organization said Tuesday that it has issued a proposal for a prisoner swap with Israel to take place in the near future.
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The proposal was transferred to Egypt, the country that has acted as a mediator between the Jewish state and Hamas in recent years and, most recently, brokered a ceasefire following 11 days of deadly fighting in May.
Israel is seeking the return of the remains of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were killed in the 2014 Gaza war, as well as Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, two Israeli civilians who crossed into Gaza voluntarily and are believed to be held in Hamas custody.
A senior Hamas official in Gaza, Zahar Jabarin, told London-based newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the organization submitted its demands to Egypt and that the "ball is in Israel's court."
Meanwhile, Palestinian sources told Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar that Hamas made two proposals.
Within the framework of the first proposal, the exchange would include the release of Palestinian security prisoners who were freed in the Gilad Schalit deal only to be rearrested, along with female prisoners, minors, prisoners who are in poor health, and those with extensive sentences.
The second proposal reportedly calls for a deal to take place in two stages. The first stage would include those prisoners who were rearrested following their Schalit deal release, female prisoners and minors in exchange for information about the Israeli captives. In the second phase, thousands of Palestinian security prisoners would be released, including those with extensive sentences and blood on their hands – in exchange for the soldiers' remains and civilians.
It should be noted that Hamas considers the two Israeli civilians it is holding captive – Mengistu and al-Sayed – as soldiers.
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