Senior officials in the Israeli occupation government confirmed on Sunday that progress has been made in the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, signaling a potential end to the war in Gaza.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom quoted a senior government official as saying:
“The end of the war is approaching… There are some indicators that suggest we are nearing the conclusion,” adding that, “The most significant factor is that Trump wants to see the war end.”
He added:
“The war will not end before Trump enters the White House. However, as long as the axis of resistance remains heavily struck and the situation in Lebanon stays stable, the prisoner exchange deal could also lead to the end of the war.”
Advancing the Prisoner Exchange Deal
The Israeli official emphasized that “the deal is advancing,” pointing out that U.S. officials have claimed since September that Hamas was preventing the deal. However, recent developments have pushed Hamas to take action.
He noted:
“Iran has suffered a severe blow. For two months, they have been threatening retaliation, but in the end, they did nothing. Hezbollah has been removed from the equation, and with Trump’s threats, Hamas has been left isolated. This has affected them significantly.”
Netanyahu’s Psychological Warfare Allegations
The report referenced Netanyahu’s comments on the latest videos released by Al-Qassam Brigades showing Israeli prisoners held in Gaza. Netanyahu stated:
“The propaganda videos are a cruel and vicious psychological war. I am in constant contact with the families of the captives, who are living a horrific, continuous nightmare.”
He continued:
“I told them, and I repeat: anyone who harms our captives will pay the price. We will continue working tirelessly to bring back all the captives, both the living and the deceased.”
Expected Timeline for the Deal
According to the Israeli newspaper, another source indicated that the negotiations to finalize the deal are expected to be completed by Hanukkah (December 25 to January 2), with its implementation occurring over an extended period.
The source added:
“Among the central topics discussed during the Cabinet meeting were the ongoing prisoner exchange negotiations and the unresolved disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the number of prisoners to be returned as part of the deal.”
Israeli Officials Confirm Progress
Earlier, Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ophir Akunis, stated at an event hosted by the Governor of New Jersey:
“At this moment, we can say that we are closer than ever to a new prisoner release deal involving captives held by Hamas in Gaza. These negotiations are very difficult and complex, but we all want to see everyone return home soon.”
The event was also attended by Yael and Fadi Alexander, the parents of captive soldier Idan Alexander.
Netanyahu’s Discussions on Gaza, the West Bank, and Syria
Netanyahu convened a meeting of the Security Cabinet to discuss the new proposals for the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. According to Channel 12, the meeting was held at the Central Command Headquarters and covered:
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- The new prisoner exchange deal proposals
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- Rising tensions in the West Bank
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- Developments in Syria
In a recorded statement before the meeting, Netanyahu declared:
“A year ago, I said we would change the Middle East, and we are indeed changing it. Syria is no longer the same, Lebanon is no longer the same, Gaza is no longer the same, and at the head of the axis, Iran is no longer what it used to be—they too have felt our power.”
Netanyahu also revealed that he spoke with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump the previous night, describing the conversation as:
“Friendly, warm, and highly significant… We discussed the necessity of ensuring Israel’s victory and spoke at length about our ongoing efforts to liberate our captives.”
He concluded:
“We are constantly working to bring back the captives from Gaza. The less we talk about it, the better… and we will succeed.”
