As the second phase of the Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange approaches, Israeli media highlights Hamas’ growing influence and the potential release of high-profile Palestinian leaders, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat.
Israeli media has extensively discussed the implications of the recent prisoner exchange, emphasizing the significant gains achieved by the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas.
Among the key figures expected to be released in the second phase of the deal are Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader, and Ahmed Saadat, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
As the start date for the second phase of negotiations approaches, the United States is reportedly preparing to play a more active role.
Massive crowds in Gaza welcome the freed Palestinian prisoners upon their arrival. pic.twitter.com/wpMDeWDc4N
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 1, 2025
Alon Ben David, a military affairs analyst for Channel 13, noted that these upcoming negotiations will be complex, addressing critical and contentious issues.
He also highlighted the internal political challenges facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with threats from extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to withdraw from the coalition government unless Israel resumes its military campaign in Gaza.
Hamas has reportedly assured the families of Barghouti and Saadat that both leaders will be released during the second phase of the deal.
Elior Levy, head of the Palestinian affairs department at Kan Channel, stated that while Barghouti is slated for release, Israel plans to deport him to another country, possibly Turkiye.
However, this would not prevent him from running in future Palestinian elections. Levy added that Barghouti’s potential candidacy and victory from abroad could generate significant international pressure for his return to the West Bank.
Palestinian prisoners freed under the Al-Aqsa Flood deal are welcomed by their families in Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/4coYzKpAXR
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 1, 2025
Analysts have pointed out that Hamas’ success in securing the release of prisoners from various Palestinian factions, including Fatah and the PFLP, is a strategic victory for the movement.
Alon Avitar, an analyst of Arab and Palestinian affairs, described the prisoner exchange as a unifying moment for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, who view the releases as a hard-won achievement.
Guy Hen, a former Shin Bet field officer, echoed this sentiment, stating that Hamas is achieving a major political victory by securing the release of high-profile figures like Barghouti and Saadat. He noted that Hamas’ influence is not limited to Gaza but extends to the West Bank as well.
A freed Palestinian prisoner cries with joy from inside the prisoners’ bus upon his arrival in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/oT95VJ9NuZ
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 1, 2025
The release of prisoners from diverse political factions has reportedly bolstered Hamas’ standing among Palestinians, according to Channel 13’s Palestinian affairs analyst, Hezi Simantov.
He observed that the Palestinian street is celebrating the releases, and public opinion in the West Bank is increasingly leaning toward Hamas.
Former Israeli Air Force Commander Nimrod Sheffer acknowledged that the current situation creates a sense of unease among Israelis but emphasized that it is the price Tel Aviv must pay for its earlier failures and the need to recover its prisoners.
(PC, AJA)
