Hamas leaders continue to be mum about details surrounding a prisoner exchange deal rumored to be in the works with Israel. On July 7, Hamas confirmed through Khaled Meshaal, head of its political bureau, that Israel, via an unidentified European mediator, had requested that it release two Israeli civilians and the remains of two soldiers. Hamas did not respond to this request, according to Meshaal’s statements to Arab reporters in Doha.
Abu Obaida, the military spokesman for Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said July 8 that the dossier from the 2014 war on Gaza, primarily referring to the issue of the prisoners, is still on the table.