According to a representative of the militants’ political office in Doha, the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is not willing to negotiate a prisoner swap with Israel while hostilities are ongoing.
Potential negotiations over the fate of as many as 150 hostages held by Hamas became more urgent as the terrorist organization vowed to begin beheading its captives if Israel launched airstrikes in the Gaza Strip without giving people advance notice.
But according to AFP, in response to the Palestinian organization’s shocking strike over the Gaza border, Qatar is leading efforts to broker an exchange of prisoners between Israel and Hamas.
The source, who was briefed on the negotiations and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that discussions regarding the release of dozens of persons who were abducted during the Islamist group’s assault into southern Israel on Saturday achieved “some headway.” However, the source did not provide any other information.
Hamas spokesperson Hossam Badran had earlier told AFP: “The military operation is still continuing… therefore, there is currently no chance for negotiation on the issue of prisoner or prisoners or anything else.”
From Doha, he added, “Our mission now is to make every effort to stop the occupation from carrying out massacres against our people in Gaza that directly target civilian homes.”
Since the unexpected onslaught, Israel has seen at least 800 fatalities. At least 687 people have died on the Gazan side as a result of Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on the Palestinian territory.
One of the main sponsors of Hamas, Qatar has housed a political office there for more than ten years.
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, sent a video message on Saturday that was broadcast on the terrorist group’s Al-Aqsa television channel from Qatar, declaring that his organization was on the “verge of a great victory” and calling for the release of Palestinian captives.
In a phone discussion with Mahmud Abbas on Sunday, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani stated that Qatar was “making all its diplomatic efforts with various concerned parties” to de-escalate the tension.