Israel reveals talks to release Hamas prisoners in swap
Hamas denies the negotiations are taking place
Israeli officials are in negotiations to release imprisoned members of the Hamas terrorist group, including mass murderer Abdullah Barghouti, whose attacks between 2000 and 2004 killed numerous Israelis and injured hundreds.
Barghouti was sentenced to 67 life sentences and an additional 5,200 years in prison for his involvement in those attacks, which occurred during the Second Intifada, or “uprising,” against Israel.
The negotiations involve a “swap” of Barghouti and others for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, as well as two civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who Hamas is currently holding captive in the Gaza Strip.
Several prisoners to be released are serving lengthy prison sentences and, after being transferred to Jordan, will serve between 5 to 10 years in Jordan before receiving royal amnesty from the Hashemite Kingdom. They will then be released to a location under the administration of the Palestinian Authority.
The prisoners being transferred to Jordan will receive Jordanian passports, which allows the Kingdom to incarcerate them and to recognize the validity of Israel’s judgments against them.
The prisoner swap agreement also includes the release of the bodies of Palestinians who have injured and killed Israelis, including innocent civilians, police officers and soldiers.
Hamas denied that prisoner swap negotiations are taking place, calling the report “completely inaccurate and unfounded.”
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
