Egyptian sources report that Egypt has stepped up talks for a humanitarian ceasefire in preparation for a prisoner exchange deal. Al Mayadeen channel belonging to Hezbollah also transmitted a similar report. News 12 reporter Ohad Hamo reported that Hamas is demanding that in exchange for the release of the hostages, fuel also enters the Strip.
The Headquarters of the struggle for the release of the abductees welcomed the contacts, but claimed that the deal must include the release of all the abductees: "We welcome the return of each and every abductee who is in Gaza; at the same time, the Headquarters of the Families for the Return of the Abductees and Missing Persons sticks to its position that any move for a ceasefire will include the release of all the abductees from Gaza."
Yesterday, in an interview with the ABC network, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that "there will be no ceasefire without the return of the abductees." The Prime Minister also added that "President Biden himself said that a ceasefire would be a victory for Hamas. Regarding humanitarian ceasefires, an hour here and an hour there, these are things we have done in the past and I guess we will check this ability in the future."
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also addressed the issue and said last night in a statement that "recently the words humanitarian pause have been heard, for me a humanitarian pause is first of all our abductees in Gaza. For me a humanitarian pause is people who are in Gaza at the hands of savages. There will be no humanitarian pause without the return of abductees."
