A delegation from the terrorist group Hamas, which is in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, to discuss a possible truce with Israel, is demanding the release of several high-ranking Palestinian prisoners from both Hamas and Fatah, sources familiar with the matter told EFE. the negotiations.
According to the sources, who asked not to be identified, the Hamas delegation, headed by the leader of its political office, Ismail Haniyeh, reported this demand to Egypt's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, and that she is one of the “ requirements” for the group to accept the truce proposal.
The terrorist group has not yet responded to the proposed agreement presented by Qatar for a new truce in the war and an exchange of Israeli and foreign hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, the sources said.
They said Hamas is demanding the release of Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Fatah leader jailed for carrying out attacks against Israelis, as well as leader Ahmed Saadat, former secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, jailed by Israel after being accused of planning the 2001 assassination of the country's Tourism Minister, Rehevam Zeevi.
Palestinian terrorists also “demand” the release of high-ranking members of Hamas and its military wing, such as Abdullah Al Barghouti, Hasan Salama, Abbas Al Sayed and Ibrahim Hamed.
The sources stated that Hamas' insistence on the release of Palestinian leaders indicates that the group is already thinking about post-war relations with the Fatah movement and other Palestinian groups.
Pending a response from Hamas, a proposal for a truce lasting around 45 days is being discussed, which would include an exchange of hostages in the Gaza Strip for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, to be carried out in three phases.
The proposed agreement includes the exchange of hostages for prisoners in several stages, the first of which envisages the release of 35 Hamas hostages in exchange for the total cessation of Israeli operations for 45 days, the sources said.
In addition, it includes the release of around one hundred Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each hostage released by Hamas, as well as an increase in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
In the second stage, kidnapped military personnel would be released, with the last phase including the removal of the bodies of hostages who died in captivity in the Palestinian enclave, according to the same sources.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has so far had a single truce – lasting one week, between November 24th and 30th -, which interrupted 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 then.
The Israeli government is not willing to stop the war, despite growing pressure from the families of those kidnapped for a deal to be made at any price for the release of the 132 hostages still in Palestinian territory, of whom around 28 are believed to be dead.
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