Israeli defense chief to visit US on Sunday to discuss prisoner exchange developments

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will travel Sunday to the US to discuss with Washington developments on a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, his office said Saturday.

“Minister Gallant is scheduled to meet with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and other senior officials,” it said in a statement.

The two sides will discuss the war against Hamas in Gaza, efforts to release hostages held in the enclave, humanitarian efforts and measures to ensure regional stability, according to the statement.

Israel holds in its prisons at least 9,100 Palestinians, according to Palestinian official sources, while the number of Israeli hostages held in Gaza remains unclear due to Hamas' refusal to disclose the figure “without a hefty price.”

While Israeli media alleges there are between 240 and 253 Israeli hostages, including three who were released by Israel and 105 who were released by Hamas during an exchange deal in November, the Palestinian movement speaks of the killing of 70 others from Israeli shelling.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 32,100 Palestinians have since been killed and over 72,400 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala