Hamas is said to be demanding that Israel release imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti in the first phase of a proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal, reported Times of Israel. According to Sky News Arabia, the mediators, including the United States, have accepted the demand for Barghouti’s release among the first security prisoners in exchange for the Gaza hostages, should Israel and Hamas finalize a deal that has been in the works for months. There has been no reaction to the report from Israel.
Unnamed sources told Sky News Arabia that Hamas has demanded Barghouti’s release, as the terror group knows it cannot return to power in the Gaza Strip and sees him as a useful ally that it could trust to run Gaza Strip.This is not the first time they have made this demand, which they also made it in March. Fadwa Barghouti, the prisoner’s wife had last year announced the launch of an international campaign for her husband’s release, but not necessarily in connection with a prisoner exchange.
