Has corona brought Israel and Hamas closer to prisoner swap?

After six years of waiting, the families of the Israeli soldiers and civilians held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip might finally have the chance to bring their boys home. But at a cost.

Hamas has held the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin and St.Sgt. Oron Shaul since 2014 and is keeping two Israeli citizens captive: Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both suffering from mental health issues.

The possibility of a prisoner-exchange deal with Hamas has gained momentum over the past month and a half since the coronavirus crisis began – and this week, the government’s special negotiator for hostages and prisoners of war, Yaron Blum, met with the families to give them an update on the negotiations.

The Goldin family, in a statement, said that there’s a window of opportunity to bring the four home and that, “missing this opportunity now would be a national irresponsibility.”

There has been significant progress made in recent months toward reaching a long-term ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Hamas. But an IDF intelligence assessment released in January stated that, in contrast to Israel, Hamas does not include the return of the remains of the two soldiers and the two missing Israeli civilians as part of the arrangement.

Assuming that time was on its side, Hamas has over the years tried to keep all the cards in its hands. They stuck to their guns, providing no sign of life of any of the four and disseminating fake news about the status of the captives.

But, less than six months later, the terror group that rules over two millions Gazans in one of the most densely populated areas in the world, has been working to contain an outbreak of the deadly virus in the coastal enclave.

Time is no longer on their side. An outbreak of the virus would spell disaster for the blockaded area.

Already in early April, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar – himself a prisoner released by Israel in the 2011 Gilad Schalit prisoner exchange – said that the group was interested in resuming talks with Israel. He also warned of a military escalation if Israel didn’t help Gaza in the fight against the coronavirus.

Hamas is incapable of dealing with an outbreak of the virus alone, and in addition to sending medical equipment, alcogel and personal protective equipment, Israel has also taken dozens of coronavirus tests to it’s military laboratory in Tzrifin.