Why are Israel's deals to exchange hostages so lopsided?

NPR

Published February 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM EST

A mural in Tel Aviv, Israel, supporting the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. January 21, 2025.

On Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu was enthusiastic about Israel's relationship with the U.S., and said that he and President Trump are on the same page about the urgency of releasing the remaining Israeli hostages.

Today an Israeli delegation traveled to Cairo to hash out details for a second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Under the first phase of the deal, Hamas agreed to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages - and Israel said it would free around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Some of the Palestinian prisoners released were convicted of serious crimes.

NPR's Jerome Socolovsky looks at the politics and dilemmas behind prisoner swaps to bring back abducted citizens.

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