Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hamas Begins Counting Israeli Captives

Palestinian sources revealed that Hamas has taken new steps to count the number of Israeli captives who were captured during the attacks of October 7, 2023.

According to sources from factions holding some of these captives, the Hamas leadership has reached out to various groups to determine the number of remaining captives in the Gaza Strip. This effort aims to prepare for a potential prisoner exchange deal, as indirect negotiations with Israel make significant progress.

According to reports, some 100 captives are still held inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hamas has also contacted leaders of its military wing to compile lists of captives and their details. The focus is primarily on living Israeli captives, while efforts are also underway to locate the remains of those killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. The sources emphasized that retrieving these bodies would require a ceasefire, a condition Hamas has communicated to Egyptian and other mediators during recent talks.

Some remains are reportedly unaccounted for, as prisoners were killed alongside their captors. Locating them will take time, and a ceasefire would significantly aid in these efforts, the sources noted.

Separately, sources close to the Hamas leadership indicated that the group has prioritized safeguarding the lives of Israeli officers and soldiers captured from military sites. These captives will only be released in later stages of any agreement, in exchange for the freeing of Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences.

Hamas’s leadership is engaged in extensive internal consultations and discussions with Palestinian factions regarding proposals presented during recent meetings in Cairo. The sources pointed to broad consensus within Hamas and among the factions on the necessity of a ceasefire agreement, modeled after previous arrangements in Lebanon. Such an agreement would entail a comprehensive and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Both Hamas and Israel are expected to respond to Egypt’s proposal, supported by other mediators and the United States, by mid-next week. Israel’s security cabinet has convened to discuss developments in the negotiations with Hamas, alongside other security matters. Additional meetings are scheduled for the coming days.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that a senior Israeli delegation is set to travel to Cairo next week to discuss a potential prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. The report speculates that Hamas may respond positively to the Egyptian proposal. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan confirmed that indirect negotiations have resumed, with both sides exchanging ideas to finalize a prisoner swap and end the conflict.

An Israeli political source expressed cautious optimism, noting that Tel Aviv has communicated its seriousness to mediators about advancing a deal. Reports indicate that both Israel and Hamas are demonstrating flexibility on previously contentious issues, signaling an unprecedented level of seriousness from Israel to reach a comprehensive agreement.

Channel 12 also reported that Qatar has resumed its mediation efforts, following approval from US President-elect Donald Trump. These developments follow the release of a video by Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, showing an Israeli-American captive, Aidan Alexander, pleading with Trump to secure his release through a prisoner exchange.

The video prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to contact the captive’s family, assuring them that negotiations could result in an agreement at any moment. Netanyahu later met with the family and reiterated Israel’s commitment to securing the return of all captives held in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military disclosed findings about the deaths of six Israeli prisoners who were reportedly killed by Hamas captors in Khan Yunis months earlier. This revelation has increased pressure on Israeli officials to finalize a deal, with military leaders strongly advocating for negotiations.

Netanyahu, initially hesitant, has shown greater openness to an agreement following Trump’s election. Trump has publicly urged for the release of Israeli captives before his January 20 inauguration, reiterating his stance in recent social media statements.

Syria's finance minister said on Sunday the government would hike salaries for many public sector employees by 400% next month after completing an administrative restructuring of ministries to boost efficiency and accountability.

The increase, estimated to cost 1.65 trillion Syrian pounds, or about $127 million at current rates, will be financed by existing state resources plus a combination of regional aid, new investments, and efforts to unfreeze Syrian assets held abroad.

"(This is) the first step towards an emergency solution to the economic reality in the country," Mohammed Abazeed, the finance minister in Syria's caretaker government, told Reuters, adding that this month's wages for public sector staff would be paid out this week.

These measures are part of a broader strategy by Syria's new caretaker government to stabilize the country's economy following 13 years of conflict and sanctions.

Salaries of Syria's public sector employees under toppled President Bashar al-Assad's regime were around $25 a month, putting them below the poverty line, along with the majority of the country's population, Abazeed said.

The hike would follow a comprehensive evaluation of up to 1.3 million registered public sector employees to remove fictitious employees from the payroll and would affect those with sufficient expertise, academic qualifications, and the necessary skills for reconstruction.

Syria's state treasury is facing liquidity challenges emerging from a war. The majority of money available in the central bank is Syrian currency, which has lost much of its value. However, the new government was promised assistance from regional and Arab countries, the minister said.

"The launch of investments in the country in the near future will also benefit the state treasury and allow us to finance this salary increase," he said, adding the central bank currently has sufficient funds to finance the next few months.

The government expects to retrieve up to $400 million in frozen Syrian assets abroad, which could co-finance the initial government expenses.

Syria's caretaker government is also discussing exempting taxpayers, as much as possible, from penalties and interest and working on overhauling the tax system within the next three months to achieve tax justice for all taxpayers, with a first draft expected within four months.

"By the end of this year, we expect having a well-designed tax system that takes the interests of all taxpayers into account," he added.

Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hamas Begins Counting Israeli Captives