Israel Offers Prisoner Exchange for Release of Hostages: Former Deputy Foreign Minister Speaks Out

In a significant development amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Israel's former Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, has announced a potential breakthrough. Ayalon stated that Israel is prepared to release all Hamas prisoners in exchange for the safe return of the Israeli hostages captured during the October 7 attack.

Hamas reportedly holds 222 individuals, including elderly women and infants. While two hostages, including 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz, were released on Monday, further releases have been withheld by Hamas.

As the hostage situation persists, Israel continues its bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip, with restricted humanitarian aid access. Tragically, nearly 7,000 lives have been lost, despite Israel's insistence that Hamas militants are their primary target.

Efforts are underway to mediate an agreement, with Qatar taking on the role of mediator. Although an agreement remains elusive, Ayalon believes that specific terms could pave the way for a resolution.

Ayalon shared with CGTN Europe: "If Hamas is willing to let all the hostages out – and most of them are civilians, 85-year-old ladies and babies – if they are out, Israel will be willing to release all the Hamas prisoners, and there are quite a few thousands of them. I think that would be a fair deal. The question is, will Hamas take it?"

However, Ayalon cautioned that concrete action may take several days, rather than hours, to materialize. He pointed to intense negotiations between Doha in Qatar and Hamas officials as a potential hurdle.

He further emphasized that the release of all hostages would pave the way for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to neutralize Hamas bunkers, drawing a historical parallel to Allied forces' actions against Hitler and the Nazis in 1945.

The international community's response to the conflict has been mixed. While U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have expressed support for Israel's response, the situation remains complex and fluid.