Israel considers re-arresting freed Hamas terrorists as pressure mounts on hostage talks

Israel is considering re-arresting terrorists previously released to Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem under prior prisoner swap deals, according to Channel 12 News.

The proposal has been brought up in multiple Cabinet meetings but rejected by the defense echelon, which argued that it would be a strategic mistake. However, the issue has resurfaced in recent days, with many ministers pushing for a firm deadline to be set for Hamas to accept the Witkoff plan. The plan includes the release of 10 hostages in exchange for discussions aimed at ending the ongoing war.

Under the Witkoff proposal, half of the hostages, both alive and deceased, would return to Israel on the first day of the agreement. If a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached, the remainder of the hostages would be returned by the end of the temporary ceasefire period. While Israel accepted the plan last month, Hamas rejected it.

According to Channel 12, if no agreement is reached by the set deadline, Israel plans to escalate military actions. The shift in strategy would move from negotiating for the release of hostages to an intensified military focus aimed at defeating Hamas, effectively reversing the ceasefire objectives.