Israel Held Secret Talks With Hamas on Hostage Releases Before War

Israel engaged in direct, clandestine negotiations with Hamas prior to the October 7th attack, aiming to secure the release of Israelis held by the organization. Senior officials from the Shin Bet security agency conducted discussions with a senior Hamas figure, Raazi Hamed. These contacts, which began before the war, continued into 2023 and reached advanced stages concerning a potential agreement.

The negotiations focused on securing the release of Avraham Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, and the return of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, all of whom are held by Hamas. The discussions progressed to the point where lists of Palestinian prisoners slated for release under a potential deal were exchanged.

According to sources, the framework for these negotiations was developed during meetings involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Prime Minister's office declined to comment on the report.