Hamas to release new video footage of Israeli captives – report

There have been significant developments in the negotiations with Hamas on a potential prisoner swap with Israel, Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel said.

By Tobias Siegal, World Israel News

Egypt is expected to receive video tapes from Hamas containing new information about the Israeli captives held by the terror group in Gaza, Palestinian sources told the London-based Al-Arab newspaper on Saturday.

According to the report, the video tapes will reveal who among the captives is still alive and provide information about their living conditions.

The sources added that “Israel and Hamas have almost reached a full agreement” via Egyptian mediation in recent days.

Earlier this week, Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel told Israeli reporters that there have been significant developments in the negotiations with Hamas on a potential prisoner swap with Israel.

Kamel’s comments conformed reports from October that indicated that progress was made on the issue during the visit of a senior Hamas delegation to Cairo.

Kamel is also expected to visit Israel later this month, according to Maariv, which would be his second official visit to Israel since Prime Minister Naftali Bennett assumed office in January.

In June, shortly after Operation Guardian of the Walls, the Al Jazeera network aired never-before seen video footage of former Israeli soldier Gilad during his time in Hamas captivity between 2006-2011.

The network also aired an audio recording of a person claiming to be an Israeli soldier currently held by Hamas, which was later dismissed by the government’s coordinator for the release of the hostages, Yaron Blum, as fake and a cheap psychological trick attempting to play on Israeli public sentiment.

Hamas currently holds Israeli civilian captives Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are believed to be alive, as well as the bodies of IDF soldiers St.-Sgt. Oron Shaul and Lt. Hadar Goldin.