Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza
Gaza, Oct 12: Hamas has requested Israel to include prominent Palestinian figures in the upcoming prisoner-release list as part of a ceasefire agreement that will also see the return of hostages from Gaza.
The demand comes after Israel’s Justice Ministry announced that 250 prisoners are set to be released, notably excluding seven high-profile individuals, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, both regarded by many Palestinians as enduring symbols of resistance.
Of the 250 prisoners, 15 will be released to East Jerusalem, 100 to the West Bank, and 135, convicted of murder or weapons offenses, will be deported to Gaza or other locations, according to the government’s announcement on Friday, reported by the Times of Israel.
Some key prisoners slated for release include:
• Iyad Abu al-Rub – Commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Jenin, responsible for several deadly attacks, including suicide bombings in Shadmot Mechola (2003), Tel Aviv (2004), and Hadera (2005), claiming 13 lives.
• Mahmoud Qawasmeh – Senior Hamas member, previously released in the Shalit deal, deported to Gaza, and re-arrested during the 2024 Gaza conflict.
• Imad Qawasmeh – Local Hamas leader, convicted for orchestrating a 2004 double suicide bombing that killed 16 Israelis, currently serving 16 life sentences.
• Morad Bader Abdullah Adais – Convicted of fatally stabbing Dafna Meir in 2016 at the age of 16.
• Hilmi Abdul Karim Muhammad Hammash – Sentenced for orchestrating the 2004 Jerusalem bus suicide bombing that killed 11 Israelis and injured 50.
• Baher Badr – Arrested in 2004 along with his brother for plotting a bus station suicide bombing near an IDF base that killed eight people.
Marwan Barghouti, 66, serving multiple life sentences for 2004 attacks that killed five Israelis, remains imprisoned but is considered a potential successor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He enjoys broad support among Palestinians while backing a two-state solution.
Hamas’ push to include such high-profile figures reflects the ongoing negotiations and the political sensitivities surrounding the ceasefire and hostage release efforts.