Swiss and German officials mediating between Hamas and Israel for long-awaited prisoner exchange

Swiss and German officials have teamed up with an Egyptian general to start delicate negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas - the militant rulers of the Gaza Strip - over a proposed prisoner exchange deal.

A Swiss diplomat and two German intelligence officials have joined the brokering team and have made joint visits to Israel, Gaza and Egypt in recent months, according to a report in the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

The news comes after Hamas poured doubt on the potential deal, saying on Friday there had been "no significant progress" and that Israel was "trying to evade its commitments to freeing prisoners."

The group's remarks flew in the face of recent reports of positive developments in the negotiations.

Indirect talks started in March after Hamas' leader in Gaza implicitly expressed the group's willingness to reach a deal with Israel that would release vulnerable Palestinian prisoners in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Terms would also include medical aid and other projects for the impoverished Gaza Strip for its efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

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In return, Hamas has proposed to reveal information on the bodies of two soldiers, in addition to giving intel on two captive Israelis it alleges are soldiers – while Israel has claimed them to be civilians.

Hamas reportedly holds Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, and the remains of the bodies of Israeli soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul – killed during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in 2014.

Israel had denied Hamas' proposal for the deal to be rolled out in two stages, the first of which would involve sending signs of life from Mengistu and al-Sayed.