Long-stalled negotiations on a prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas could be given impetus by the coronavirus pandemic and the formation of a new Israeli government, analysts say.
A deal, which would be the first in almost a decade, is not yet close but significant steps have been taken in recent weeks, said a Hamas source.
Israel has not confirmed that it is holding talks with Hamas, with which it has fought three wars since 2007, but recent media reports suggested the two sides were close to an agreement.
Germany and Russia are reportedly involved in the talks, along with traditional mediator Egypt.
Since Israel's 2014 invasion of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the group has held the bodies of Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, although Hamas has not confirmed their deaths.
Hamas is also believed to be holding two Israeli citizens who entered Gaza alone and whose families said they had mental health issues.
Israel, meanwhile, is holding more than 5,000 Palestinians in its jails.
In the most recent prisoner swap, in 2011, Hamas and Israel brokered a deal that led to the release of more than 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured five years earlier.
In early April, Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza, claimed he was especially concerned about humanitarian conditions in Israeli prisons during the coronavirus pandemic and was ready to negotiate.
Mr Sinwar is a former inmate of Israeli jails and was freed in the 2011 exchange.
Israeli authorities have identified about 16,500 coronavirus patients, including 252 deaths. More than 350 people have been infected in the Palestinian territories – 20 of them in Gaza.
Mr Sinwar's comment was interpreted by Israel as indicating a new willingness to broker a deal, said Kobi Michael, a senior fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, who specialises in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
There are also hopes Israel's new unity government could help accelerate talks.
After more than a year of stalemate, the country will swear in a new government on May 13 – with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz agreeing to share power.
For the initial 18 months, centrist former army chief Mr Gantz will serve as defence minister, taking over from hardline right-winger Naftali Bennett, who had opposed negotiations with Hamas.
"A deal might be easier to reach if a new government is formed because of the composition of the security cabinet," Mr Michael said.
A talked-about first step could lead to Israel releasing some elderly and sick prisoners jailed for minor crimes in return for Hamas providing information about the two Israeli civilians and confirmation that soldiers Shaul and Goldin are dead.
A Hamas official close to the negotiations said there had been progress in recent weeks but the sides were still some distance apart.
"There is a step on which to build and it needs moves from [Israel] to complete the deal," he said.
The Hamas official said so far Israel was offering the release of dozens of prisoners held on minor charges, but that Hamas was demanding more, including freedom for some inmates serving longer sentences.
Hamza Abu Shanab, a Palestinian analyst and researcher on Hamas affairs, said the "Sinwar initiative" showed Hamas was demonstrating increasing "flexibility" towards Israel.
"Both sides are seriously occupied in negotiations over the deal and willing to make concessions," said Mr Michael.
"I think that under the current circumstances and atmosphere of the coronavirus crisis, we are closer than before."
Israel has for 13 years maintained a blockade on Gaza that it said was necessary to isolate Hamas, which it considers a terrorist group, but critics said it punishes and impoverishes all two million residents.
The last prisoner-swap deal is still controversial among Israelis, many of whom believe too high a price was paid.
Rockets and mortars are often fired from Gaza towards Israel, which responds with air strikes.
Mr Michael said Israel would hope a prisoner exchange could lead to a wider truce that will ensure calm.
"If both sides reach such an agreement, they'll be able eventually to reach to a broader security agreement that will last a couple of years."
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
Teaching in coronavirus times
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
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Company%20profile
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Jiu-jitsu calendar of events for 2017-2018:
August 5:
Round-1 of the President’s Cup in Al Ain.
August 11-13:
Asian Championship in Vietnam.
September 8-9:
Ajman International.
September 16-17
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Ashgabat.
September 22-24:
IJJF Balkan Junior Open, Montenegro.
September 23-24:
Grand Slam Los Angeles.
September 29:
Round-1 Mother of The Nation Cup.
October 13-14:
Al Ain U18 International.
September 20-21:
Al Ain International.
November 3:
Round-2 Mother of The National Cup.
November 4:
Round-2 President’s Cup.
November 10-12:
Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro.
November 24-26:
World Championship, Columbia.
November 30:
World Beach Championship, Columbia.
December 8-9:
Dubai International.
December 23:
Round-3 President’s Cup, Sharjah.
January 12-13:
Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.
January 26-27:
Fujairah International.
February 3:
Round-4 President’s Cup, Al Dhafra.
February 16-17:
Ras Al Khaimah International.
February 23-24:
The Challenge Championship.
March 10-11:
Grand Slam London.
March 16:
Final Round – Mother of The Nation.
March 17:
Final Round – President’s Cup.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
