Hamas prisoners divided on swap

Detainees reportedly furious after Shalit prisoner deal not brought up for a vote

Elior Levy|Published: 10.14.11 , 16:38

Hamas rift worsens: The disagreements and tensions within Hamas over the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap are reportedly pitting group detainees against each other in Israel's prisons.

A website affiliated with Fatah reported Friday that great tensions emerged between Hamas prisoners from the West Bank and their counterparts from the Gaza Strip as result of the swap's characteristics.

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As it turned out, most released prisoners who will not be allowed to return to their homes and instead be expelled to various countries abroad are West Bank residents, while most Gaza detainees would be allowed to go home. Moreover, the report said, as opposed to Hamas' declarations that any swap would be brought up for the prisoners' approval, no such vote was held.

As result of the above developments, the Fatah website said, great tensions currently persist between the different groups of prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Meanwhile, senior Hamas figure Ismail Radwan attempted to allay the tensions, claiming that the Palestinian prisoners who would be expelled abroad would return to Gaza later.