According to reports, the deal would be nothing like the 2011 deal for Gilad Shalit, which saw Israel release 1,027 Palestinians, hundreds of whom were serving life sentences for killing Israelis.
A German mediator who was involved in the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011 is participating in the current talks.
When the committee started working, it decided that its conclusions will be published only after Schalit (who was kidnapped in 2006 and released in 2011) will be released from Hamas captivity.
Sinwar said that the indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel over a prisoner exchange were suspended after the start of the political crisis in Israel.
Two Israeli citizens, presumed to be alive, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, have been in Hamas captivity for more than four years.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "No change in policy of targeted assassinations."
Yaron Blum claimed that Hamas hostages Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed had crossed the border several times and had been returned to Israel, but he was forced to apologize regarding Mengistu.
October 16th marked 33 years since Israeli Air Force Navigator Ron Arad was taken captive in Lebanon in 1986 after his plane went down during a bombing mission over southern Lebanon.
Since the story came to light over four years ago, media coverage of the issue has been almost nonexistent, and public demand for Avera’s release has been sporadic at best.
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