Israel arrests Ismail Haniyeh’s sister to pressure in the prisoner swap deal
Israeli authorities accuse Haniyeh's sister of communicating with Hamas activists, belonging to the organization, incitement, and supporting armed activities
Israeli police announced Monday the arrest of the sister of Hamas‘s political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh at her home in Tel Aviv in the Negev Desert on charges related to “terrorism,” with the operation believed to be aimed at pressuring the movement’s leaders to conclude a hostage exchange deal.
Police confirmed that “Sabah Abdulsalam Haniyeh (57) is detained in Tel Aviv and is undergoing interrogation by the Shin Bet (internal security service).”
They said they suspect Haniyeh, who holds Israeli citizenship, of “communicating with Hamas activists, belonging to the organization, inciting, and supporting armed activities.” The head of Hamas‘s political bureau, residing in Doha, has two sisters living in southern Israel and holding Israeli citizenship due to their marriage to Israeli Arabs.
Police found at Sabah Haniyeh’s home “documents, media, phones, and other items and evidence related to the commission of serious crimes against the state of Israel.”
Regarding negotiations, Haniyeh‘s stance is the toughest within Hamas, expressing his absolute refusal to conclude a deal without Israel committing to a complete withdrawal from Gaza.
Israel and the Hamas movement have been engaged in a deadly war in the Gaza Strip since October 7. The war broke out following an attack by Hamas in southern Israel, which resulted in 1160 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli official figures.
About 250 people were abducted during the attack, with 130 still being held hostage in Gaza, and 34 of them are believed to have died, according to Israeli official estimates.
Israel has pledged to “eradicate” Hamas and has since carried out intensive bombings, launching a ground offensive on October 27, killing 32,782 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
Efforts to conclude a prisoner exchange deal face many obstacles and difficulties, with the resettlement of residents of northern Gaza being one of the key dilemmas in the talks, whether in Doha or Cairo.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Hamas movement of “hardening” its positions in negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
He said during a press conference that “while Israel has shown flexibility in its positions during the negotiations, Hamas has hardened its positions,” while the Palestinian movement claims that the Israeli side has backtracked on its previous commitments and has put forward more conditions.
He stressed that the operation against Palestinian factions in Rafah will not be stopped by anything, explaining that military pressure combined with flexibility in the talks will lead to the release of hostages, asserting that victory over Hamas will not be achieved without a military operation in Rafah.
