Rising threats: Israeli Cabinet faces internal struggles amid prisoner exchange deal

As tensions escalate with threats from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet member Benny Gantz against Hamas and Hezbollah, the Israeli War Cabinet continues its discussions.

It is examining a proposal for a prisoner exchange limited to swapping children and women between Israel and the Hamas.

Crafted in recent days by Qatar, Egypt, the United States, and Israel, the deal involved the participation of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Chief Ronen Bar before his departure to Egypt to coordinate the transfer of Israeli prisoners through Rafah.

Despite the growing optimism for the deal's execution within three days, several Israeli obstacles hinder it, the most prominent being the duration of the ceasefire coinciding with the exchange, fearing that Hamas might exploit it to reorganize its ranks.

However, internal disagreements within the Israeli War Cabinet will not prevent proposal approval. Washington intensified pressure to implement the deal, hoping it would serve as a prelude to hasten the end of the war in Gaza, leading to a comprehensive agreement to end it.

Top advisers from the White House for Middle East Affairs, Brett McGurk, have been dispatched to hold talks with officials in Tel Aviv regarding the hostages deal and the progress of military operations. This is especially significant as Israel insists on refusing any immunity in halting the airstrikes on any area in the sector.

In the security realm, concerns linger on the Palestinian side about hindering the prisoner file.

Meanwhile, Israeli public pressure on the issue of prisoners with Hamas continues, coinciding with a march ending on Saturday in front of Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. Families of prisoners demand an immediate comprehensive deal.

Simultaneously, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen meets with representatives of the Red Cross in Geneva and other officials in an attempt to pressure Hamas to release all hostages.

Israeli pressure for the release of prisoners, along with American and international pressures on Israel to halt the fighting and mass killing in Gaza, sets the stage for the release of over 200 children and more than 70 Palestinian women in Israeli prisons. This exchange may be a first step towards ending the war and the suffering of the people of Gaza, surpassing the humanitarian crisis.