The issue of Palestinian prisoners and a potential prisoner exchange topped the list of priorities discussed with UN Mideast envoy Nickolay Mladenov in the Gaza Strip on Monday as negotiators continue working to nail down a cease-fire agreement with Israel, according to senior Palestinian sources quoted in the Hamas-affiliated Al-Risala newspaper.
Hamas has repeatedly stressed in recent days that the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli security prisons is one of their utmost priorities for any possible agreement that would see a cessation of hostilities.
Israel has remained tight-lipped about any potential cease-fire agreement with Hamas, refusing to issue any official statements on the matter ever since Hamas claimed a truce agreement had been reached to end last week's major flare-up which saw a rocket from Gaza destroy a family home in central Israel and a flurry of retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
Hamas is demanding the release of dozens of its members who were previously released in a prisoner exchange deal but then rearrested years later.
Israel, according to the report, is demanding the return of the bodies of Lt. Hadar Goldin and Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, two IDF soldiers killed in Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
Goldin's mother, Leah, responded critically to the reports, accusing Israeli leaders of failing to uphold a promise not to negotiate with Hamas without "the return of our sons."
"When we learn about it from media reports it means that there is no agreement to bring the boys home, and once again the government missed an opportunity," the Goldin family said.
The Al-Quds report said the talks were currently stalled, as Egyptian mediators grapple with convincing either Israel or Hamas to budge on their demands, noting "the coming hours will be crucial for the decision of this matter."
The cease-fire negotiations are very fragile at the moment, with all involved parties watching every movement by the other, fearing any escalation could ruin hopes for a deal.
The issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli security prisons is one facet of a reported deal which could inflame chances of no agreement.
Palestinian prisoners have threatened a hunger strike to protest the increasing crackdown on forbidden cellphone usage by inmates.
The strike, set to begin next Sunday, will come two days before the April 9 election, another ticking time-bomb for any agreement between Israeli leaders and Hamas.
Entrusted with the daunting task of quelling soaring tensions between Israel and Gaza's terrorist factions, the Egyptian intermediaries have been shuttling back and forth between the neighboring adversaries to end the most recent flare-up.
Prior to the much anticipated one-year anniversary of the Great March of Return protests, Egypt apparently succeeded in convincing Hamas to reign in the demonstrations which saw over 50,000 Palestinians flock to the border with Israel.
In a sign that Israel recognized Hamas' efforts to quell the violence on the border, Israel on Sunday reopened two border crossings into Gaza and extended the fishing zone off the coast of the strip.
