Yaron Blum, Israel’s coordinator of efforts to free two Israeli captives in Gaza, told Knesset members that there will be no further exchange of prisoners like the one that enabled the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit in 2011, Israel’s Kan news reported Wednesday.
From Israel’s perspective, the only potential deal would entail an easing of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza Strip in exchange for the remains of two IDF soldiers held by Hamas, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, and two captured Israeli citizens Abera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
Blum was appointed in 2017 to serve as the coordinator of efforts to retreive the remains of the fallen soldiers and return the Israelis held by Hamas in Gaza.
Blum served for two decades in the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), where he held several top management and command positions, including as a member of the small team that worked to free Schalit. He left the agency in 2011.
Blum’s statement to the Knesset followed a session of the body’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday, in which members of Mengistu’s family met with lawmakers.
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