Hamas Palestinian Resistance group stressed that the Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip will only be exchanged for the release of Palestinian prisoners at Israeli jails.
“The issue of releasing Palestinian prisoners stands on top of the priorities of the Palestinian factions, including Hamas,” the Resistance movement said Monday in a press statement issued on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of a swap deal held with the Israeli regime in 2011.
“Israel must understand that a prisoners’ swap deal is the only way that can bring its captives back.”
“We will not get rest until the prisoners are freed. We are close to reaching a new swap deal after compelling the Israeli government to submit to the demands of the Palestinian factions because Israel has no choice but to meet our demands,” it added.
Two weeks ago, a high-ranking Hamas delegation headed by the movement’s politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh held a series of talks with senior Egyptian security intelligence officials on the situation in Gaza and a possible swap deal with the Zionist entity.
According to official Palestinian figures, Israeli occupation authorities is holding more than 4,000 Palestinian prisoners in 23 prisons, jails and detention camps.
Hamas is holding four Israelis captive in Gaza strip, including two occupation soldiers, since 2017.
In 2011, Egypt brokered a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, in which Israel released more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in return for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. This is the first and only prisoners’ swap deal between Israel and Hamas in ten years.
Source: Agencies
