Demonstrations in Tel Aviv for the release of prisoners in Gaza

The demonstration came as Zionist officials said there was cautious optimism about reaching an agreement with Hamas over the hostages, but that any agreement would be temporary and limited, the Arab news agency reported. The New York Times reported Friday that Hamas and Israel are negotiating two prisoner exchange plans. One of the plans involves the release of a small number of prisoners, while the second plan could lead to the release of 100 prisoners, the newspaper reported. According to this report, in one plan Hamas would release 10 to 20 prisoners in exchange for a short pause in the war, and Hamas could release 100 more prisoners. 

Hamas demanded the release of all prisoners not directly in the Israeli army, a pause in hostilities, humanitarian aid, fuel for hospitals, and the release of women and children. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli army spokesman, said that since October 7, 239 Israelis have been captured (by resistance forces). In response to more than seven decades of occupation of Palestine and more than a decade of siege of Gaza, as well as the imprisonment and torture of thousands of Palestinians, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7. Hamas fighters entered the occupied territories at several points along the border fence, attacked villages and, in addition to killing large numbers of Israelis, captured some of them.

Arab news agency