Israel passes counter-demands to Hamas for prisoner swap, details could scuttle deal

Israel passes demands in prisoner swap to Hamas

Radio: Israel has relayed its response on swapping Palestinian prisoners for captured soldier

Israel gives response to Hamas prisoner swap offer

Israeli Cabinet ministers debate whether to trade 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for lone soldier

Prisoner swap talks enter critical phase in Israel

Israeli media: Israeli PM, top ministers begin meeting on prisoner swap with Hamas

Israeli ministers meet on prisoner swap

JERUSALEM — Israel’s Army Radio says the prime minister has begun a meeting with top ministers to decide whether to approve a deal on a prisoner exchange with Hamas militants.

Israel has long history of uneven prisoner exchange deals

Israel has history of uneven prisoner swap deals

Hamas leader threatens to capture more Israeli soldiers to exchange for Palestinians prisoners

DAMASCUS, Syria — The exiled leader of the militant Hamas group is threatening to capture more Israeli soldiers in order to win the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas hands over video of captured soldier in exchange for Palestinian prisoners

JERUSALEM — Hamas militants on Friday traded a two-minute video showing an apparently unharmed captured Israeli soldier for 19 Palestinian women held in Israeli jails — the first tangible step toward defusing a key flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian hostilities.

Israel releases Palestinian prisoners after seeing videotape of captured Israeli soldier

JERUSALEM — Israel has freed 19 Palestinian women prisoners, after seeing a videotape offering a first glimpse of an Israeli soldier held by Gaza Strip militants for more than three years.

Israel, Palestinians taking step to swap captive Israeli soldier for Palestinian prisoners

JERUSALEM — Israeli prison vans began moving 19 Palestinian women on Friday toward border crossings with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where they will be freed if Hamas militants release a promised videotape offering a first glimpse of a long-held Israeli soldier.

20 Palestinian women prisoners, to be freed in swap with Israel, returning to changed worlds

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Women make up only a tiny minority of more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, but they often pay a high personal price for what has largely been a supporting role in the Palestinian uprising.

Hamas, Israel to swap video of captured soldier for freedom for 20 women prisoners

JERUSALEM — In a surprise deal announced Wednesday, Hamas will give Israel a videotape providing a first glimpse of a captured Israeli soldier to prove he is alive in return for the release of 20 Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons.

Israel to free Palestinian prisoners in possible step toward bringing captive soldier home

JERUSALEM — Israel and Hamas militants announced a deal Wednesday that will see Israel release 20 Palestinian women from prison this week in exchange for a videotape proving that a captive Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip is still alive.

Egyptian minister urges Israel to release 1,000 Palestinians in return for Israeli soldiers

UNITED NATIONS — Egypt’s foreign minister urged Israel on Friday to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier captured in 2006.

Netanyahu says he hopes to bridge remaining gaps with US on peacemaking

JERUSALEM — An ongoing disagreement between Israel and the U.S. over how to resume Mideast peace talks remains unresolved, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.

On anniversary on celebrated Colombia rescue, Uribe blamed for stalled hostage releases

BOGOTA — A year after Colombian military agents disguised as international aid workers helicoptered Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors to freedom, an offer by their former leftist rebel captors to unilaterally free two hostages is in limbo.

2 years after Hamas takeover, Gaza is a jumble of absurdities

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two years after Hamas seized power, the Gaza Strip is a jumble of absurdities: an economy sustained by smuggling through tunnels, a civil service that gets paid on condition it doesn’t work, and a population no longer fearful of gangs but feeling muzzled under the thumb of Hamas.