ALBAWABA - Al Jazeera reported that senior Israeli security officials have expressed concerns about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for a limited prisoner exchange with Hamas, warning that such a deal could jeopardize the safety of the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Mossad Chief David Barnea is set to travel to Doha for crucial negotiations alongside Brett McGurk, U.S. President Joe Biden's outgoing Middle East envoy. The talks come after the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades—Hamas’s military wing—released a video featuring Israeli captive Liri Albag (19), who criticized the Israeli government for failing to secure her release and described her harsh living conditions.
While Netanyahu convened a security meeting with senior ministers, Al Jazeera highlighted that the prisoner deal was not officially included in the agenda. However, military sources warned that a one-time partial agreement, without a comprehensive resolution, could leave remaining captives in grave danger.
Military analyst Ronen Bergman cited Dr. Amir Blumenfeld, a former military trauma unit chief, who described the captives’ condition as "a life-threatening medical emergency." He emphasized that prolonged captivity increases the risk of irreversible harm.
Despite previous progress, the report highlighted significant gaps in the negotiation process. Two officials close to the talks revealed that even the "initial humanitarian agreement" has not been finalized, despite appearing close to completion last year.
Sources also noted that a partial deal could reduce international pressure on Israel while giving Hamas a tactical pause to regroup. Israeli officials believe Hamas will not accept any agreement that excludes an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza or a mass prisoner release.
Al Jazeera's coverage also emphasized that Netanyahu’s strategy appears designed to reassure far-right coalition partners that Israel will not move beyond the first phase of the agreement. However, there are growing concerns that a limited deal could weaken Israel's position in future talks and further divide Israeli families of captives, keeping the crisis at a standstill.
