The Al-Qassam Brigades raised a banner with a defiant message during the latest prisoner exchange, rejecting Israeli demands regarding Gaza’s governance.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, raised a large banner at the site of the fifth prisoner exchange in Gaza on Saturday, displaying the phrase: “We are the flood… We are the next day.”
The message, written in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, was widely seen as a direct response to Israeli demands that Hamas relinquish control of Gaza.
After being released, one of the Israeli captives said: “Our government is failing, and I thank the Al-Qassam Brigades for keeping me safe.” pic.twitter.com/KAXlKvrLnR
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 8, 2025
The banner featured the Palestinian flag alongside an image of a raised fist, symbolizing defiance.
The phrase “We are the next day” comes just days after reports that Israel proposed exiling Hamas leaders from Gaza as a condition for advancing negotiations. US President Donald Trump also recently referenced a proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt, Jordan, or other countries.
According to the Israeli news site Walla, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed to US officials in Washington that any future agreement regarding Gaza must include the departure of Hamas’ senior leadership.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) reported that while some Israeli officials are willing to accept Hamas’ continued political existence, they oppose its presence in Gaza, drawing comparisons to the PLO’s exile to Tunisia in the 1980s.
Israeli detainees Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami have been handed over to the Red Cross.
@Middle_East_Spectator pic.twitter.com/K2LuQsaTPt
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 8, 2025
The prisoner exchange process continued in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, with a heightened presence of Al-Qassam fighters overseeing the handover.
Crowds of Palestinians gathered at the site to witness the transfer of detainees to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
With the completion of the fifth batch, Al-Qassam will have released 16 Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Israel is set to free 183 Palestinian detainees, including 18 serving life sentences.
(PC, AJA)
