The head of the political wing of the terrorist group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, demanded this Friday (2), after days of negotiations, a “total cessation of fighting” in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages and said that Islamic Jihad Palestine, a terrorist group that also operates in the enclave, charges the same.
“We reaffirm the position of the 'resistance factions' that any negotiations must lead to a total end to the 'aggression', the withdrawal of the 'occupation army' from the Gaza Strip and the return of displaced people to their places of residence,” said the Hamas terrorists in a statement released on the Telegram messaging app.
Haniyeh, who claimed to have had a telephone conversation with the secretary of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Nakhaleh, as part of the ceasefire negotiations in the enclave, also recalled the need to “reconstruct the Strip” and “guarantee” a “serious” agreement. ” for the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
This official Hamas announcement was made almost a week after meetings in Paris with mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar to discuss a truce and hostage release proposal approved by Israel.
However, this Thursday (1st), a delegation from the terrorist group hinted, in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where negotiations were continuing, that there would be no truce if Israel did not agree to “release high-ranking Palestinian prisoners”. , both from Hamas itself and from Fatah, sources linked to the negotiations told EFE.
Hamas demands the release of Marwan Barghouti, considered one of the main future candidates for leader of the Palestinian Authority, who is serving five life sentences for planning attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.
Additionally, the terrorist group wants the release of Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who is serving a 30-year sentence for planning the assassination of Israel's then-Tourism Minister, Rehevam Zeevi, in 2001.
The proposed deal, approved by Israel and divided into stages, includes a first phase that stipulates the release of 35 civilians detained by Hamas in exchange for a complete halt to Israeli operations for 45 days, the sources said.
Furthermore, Israel would release around 100 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each hostage released by Hamas, and there would be an increase in the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
In the second phase, female and male soldiers would be released, and the last phase would include the return of the bodies of at least 27 hostages, according to the sources.
Israel and Hamas reached a week-long truce agreement between November 24 and 30, which halted the fighting and allowed the exchange of 105 hostages, including some foreigners, for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners, something that has not been repeated since. (With EFE Agency)
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