Hamas suspends negotiations with Israel, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners as Israel delays the seventh batch of a prisoner exchange deal.
Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior official in the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, stated on Sunday that the movement will not engage in any talks with Israel through mediators regarding any steps until the Palestinian prisoners agreed to be released on Saturday are freed.
In a statement published on Telegram, Mardawi added that there will be no discussions with the enemy through mediators on any steps before the release of the agreed-upon Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli prisoners and bodies released on Saturday.
He emphasized, “The mediators must oblige the enemy to implement the agreement.”
During Thursday and Saturday, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, handed over 10 Israeli prisoners, including six alive, to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver them to Tel Aviv as part of an agreement stipulating Israel’s release of 620 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
Hamas Condemns Israel’s Delay in Prisoner Swap, Calls on Mediators to Intervene
Despite Hamas fulfilling its commitment under the agreement, Israel has not yet released the Palestinian prisoners.
Early Sunday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a release that the decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners would continue until the next batch is secured, without what it described as “humiliating ceremonies.”
Netanyahu’s office claimed that “Hamas deliberately insults the dignity of prisoners and exploits them to promote political goals.”
Meanwhile, US President’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that he will visit the Middle East this week to negotiate a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom quoted sources as saying that the decision to halt the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners is “an attempt to reshape the rules of the game with Hamas.” However, the sources noted that the political leadership has a history of misjudging Hamas’s positions.
The same sources said, “If Hamas refuses to concede, it is expected that fighting will resume within two weeks, with Eyal Zamir assuming the role of Chief of Staff.”
(PC, AJA, Israeli Media)
