Israeli media outlets are reporting that Hamas and Israel have made remarkable progress in negotiating a potential prisoner exchange under the brokerage of a third party, but each side continues to provoke the other publicly.

Israeli Public Broadcasting Corp. (KAN) said June 26 that an undisclosed third party is brokering a deal. KAN political affairs analyst Amir Bar Shalom said in a story that negotiations gained momentum when a Hamas delegation visited Cairo June 4-10. The delegation, led by the movement's Gaza Strip political bureau head Yahya Sinwar, met with prominent Egyptian officials in the General Intelligence Directorate.

Hamas wouldn't officially confirm or deny the story, but Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor: “Hamas considers the release of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons a top priority since it is a core national issue. The movement’s participation in negotiations with Israel to approve a new prisoner exchange deal for Israelis detained by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades [Hamas’ military wing] must be preceded by Israel’s commitment to the previous exchange deal in 2011 and the release of those recaptured in 2014 after their release. Israeli leaks about the negotiations for a new exchange deal will not achieve their goals to extract stances and information from Hamas about its Israeli detainees. Israelis are demanding action and [putting] pressure on their government, which is neglecting the issue of their detainees in Hamas’ captivity.”

In June 2016, the family of detained Israeli Avraham Mangisto staged a sit-in in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to demand the return of their son. Also, the families of Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin threatened to make their periodic protests in front of Netanyahu’s office permanent, to demand that Israel arrange for the release of their sons' bodies; both men were killed in 2014.