If a ceasefire agreement is reached in the latest round of negotiations in Qatar, Israel would be required to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the freeing of hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 massacre.
An Israeli delegation left for Doha on Sunday to join the talks. According to reports, the negotiations center on a proposal for a 60-day truce during which 10 live Israeli hostages and 18 bodies of hostages who had been killed would be delivered to Israel and 1,000 Palestinians serving prison sentences, including 100 who were sentenced to life, would be released from jail.
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Abdullah Barghouti, Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa'adat
(Photo: AP, Reuters, Hagai Aharon )
Among them would be prisoners Israel has thus far refused to release, some of whom would likely assume leadership positions in terror groups.
Palestinian officials said the releases would change the political power struggle in the West Bank in particular and would include popular figures such as Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences + 40 years for his role in the murder of five Israelis and the wounding of more.
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Despite his past, Barghouti, who is considered a possible successor of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, is seen as a unifying figure and is supported even by his political adversaries
Hamas is demanding the release of Ahmad Sa'adat, the chairman of the Popular Front (PFLP), who was the mastermind of the assassination of Israeli minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
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Aftermath of the terror bombing at the Park Hotel in Netanyah in 2002
(Photo: Shaul Golan)
Hamas is also demanding the release of Abdullah Bargouthi, a senior member of the Hamas military wing in the West Bank who was serving 67 life sentences for his role in fatal terror attacks during the second intifada.
Other hardened terrorists that would be demanded by Hamas list include Hassan Salame who is serving a term of 46 life sentences for planning terror attacks killing 100 Israelis; and Abbas a-Sayed, who was sentenced to 35 life sentences for his role in the attack on the Park Hotel in Netanya in 2002, where 30 people were murdered.