‘Mediators must ensure the enemy adheres to the terms’
Talks with Israel through mediators on further steps in the Gaza ceasefire agreement are conditional on 620 Palestinian prisoners being released as agreed, Hamas official Basem Naim says.
“Any talks with the enemy through mediators regarding any upcoming steps are conditional on the release of the 620 Palestinian prisoners agreed upon in exchange for the four bodies and the six Israeli captives who were freed on Saturday,” said Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau.
“The mediators must ensure the enemy adheres to the terms of the agreement as stated in the agreed-upon text.”
Naim’s comments come after Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi also said negotiations with Israel were frozen until the prisoners were freed.
Israel accused of ‘state terrorism’ after failing to free prisoners
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society says Israel is practising “state terrorism against the prisoners and their families” after it refused to follow its Gaza ceasefire obligations and free 620 inmates.
Ghasan Washahi, whose brother Islam was set to be released on Saturday, said his family was disappointed with the delay.
“Every time there was a list of prisoners set to be released, we would wait, hoping Islam’s name would be among them, but it was never there,” he said. “My mother even started losing hope he would be freed in the deal. And when his name finally appeared, Israel halted the deal.”
White House backs Israel’s decision to delay releasing Palestinian prisoners
The White House says it supports Israel’s decision to delay releasing 620 Palestinian prisoners, citing the “barbaric treatment” of Israeli captives by Hamas.
Delaying the prisoner release is an “appropriate response”, a statement from National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said.
President Donald Trump is prepared to support Israel in “whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas”, he added.
The remarks came as the Gaza truce talks look increasingly precarious as Hamas announced earlier it shut down negotiations until the Palestinian prisoners are released as promised.
Ukraine beware, do not enter any agreement with the US as 'guarantor'. The US can not be trusted.
