Hamas Agrees to Prisoner Exchange List in Exchange for Israeli Withdrawal
US and Arab Mediation Gains Momentum Amid Accelerating Efforts to Reach Agreement Before Elected President Trump Takes Office
January 5, 2025, 10:33 pm

Hamas Agrees to Prisoner Exchange List in Exchange for Israeli Withdrawal

إسرائيل تقصف مواقع لحماس

US and Arab efforts continue to crystallize a Gaza ceasefire agreement, amid positive developments in negotiations.

A senior Hamas leader told Reuters today Sunday that his movement agreed to an Israeli proposal to exchange 34 prisoners, conditioning the agreement on Israeli forces' withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent cessation of fire.

Israeli negotiation delegation representatives reported finding solutions for all pending points in the Gaza deal, awaiting a political decision, clarifying that the proposal extends for two to three months.

Israeli sources indicated the proposal includes granting immunity to Hamas leadership inside and outside the territory in exchange for leaving the sector, and transferring authority to an independent Palestinian body with Arab and international coordination.

Sources pointed to the possibility of deploying international forces in the sector similar to UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, with the United States overseeing the agreement's implementation.

Israel sent its negotiators to Doha on Friday to resume talks through Qatari and Egyptian mediation, while the Biden administration urges Hamas to accept the agreement.

Fieldwise, Palestinian medics confirmed 9 people killed in two separate attacks in Gaza today, raising the casualties since the beginning of the week to 97 people.

The Gaza Health Ministry announced 88 Palestinians killed and over two hundred others injured during the past 24 hours due to Israeli strikes.

The Israeli army stated in a statement that its forces targeted over 100 locations in Gaza, confirming the elimination of dozens of militants and destruction of rocket launch platforms used in recent attacks on Israel.

Levant-Agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”