Trump: We are currently in deep negotiations with Hamas

SadaNews - U.S. President Donald Trump stated that negotiations he described as "very deep" are currently taking place with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) aimed at securing the release of all Israeli prisoners in their custody. Trump added - during a press conference - that the situation for Hamas will be difficult and harsh if they do not comply, noting that the choice in this matter rests with Israel. He said, "We are in very deep negotiations with Hamas. We said: Release everyone now... Release everyone, and much better things will happen for you. But if you do not release everyone, the situation will be difficult and harsh." The U.S. president also pointed out that the large protests in Israel regarding the prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza place Israel in a difficult position. Trump expressed his belief that among the twenty living detainees held by the resistance in Gaza, there may be some who have passed away recently. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - who is wanted by the International Criminal Court - stated that the war could end immediately under the conditions set by Israel. Netanyahu added that Israel's conditions are the return of all living and deceased prisoners, dismantling Hamas's weapons, disarming the Gaza Strip, and establishing a civilian government that does not pose a threat to Israel. Rejection On another note, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority on Friday reported that former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi presented an initiative during his tenure to reach an agreement guaranteeing the release of all prisoners in Gaza, but Netanyahu rejected the plan, considering it a defeat. The official broadcasting authority quoted informed sources stating that Halevi asked Netanyahu - just before the ground attack on Rafah in May 2024 - to formulate a single-stage proposal aimed at securing the release of all prisoners and ending the war. They added that a team of officers from the Operations Division and Strategic Department of the army worked on preparing several scenarios to present to the political leadership, based on the idea that liberating the prisoners first would make it easier to complete the decisive action against Hamas later, and according to sources, this idea was met with immediate rejection from the political leadership. According to the same sources, the plan was quickly shelved to the extent that it was never formally presented to the negotiation team. The sources indicated to the Broadcasting Authority, according to SadaNews' follow-up, that the plan prepared by the army in May 2024 was multi-phased, including the release of all prisoners and ending the war at its conclusion, but Netanyahu's decision prevented moving to the second phase, which entailed the release of all remaining living prisoners.