Israel is considering the option of detaining terrorists who were previously freed as part of earlier prisoner exchange agreements and returned to areas including Judea, Samaria, and Yerushalayim, according to a report by Channel 12 News.
Although this idea has been raised more than once in Cabinet discussions, it has consistently been shot down by senior defense officials, who argue that such a move would be unwise.
Still, with another Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday, the issue is gaining renewed attention. A number of ministers are urging the government to impose a firm deadline for Hamas to accept the Witkoff proposal, which would involve freeing 10 hostages and initiating talks toward ending the war.
Under the terms of the Witkoff initiative, Israel would receive half of the hostages—whether alive or deceased—on the first day the agreement is enacted. If a long-term ceasefire is finalized during the temporary pause in fighting, the remainder of the hostages, both living and dead, would be returned as well. Israel gave the green light to this proposal last month, but Hamas turned it down.
Channel 12 reports that if a deadline is indeed set and the deal remains unaccepted by that point, Israel is expected to escalate military operations and shift its focus. Instead of prioritizing negotiations for the hostages’ release, the objective will revert to a full-scale campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas—returning to the strategy in place before the temporary truce.
{Matzav.com Israel}