Hamas announces inmate swap with Israel to start on Monday
(MENAFN) A senior member of Hamas announced that a prisoner exchange with Israel could begin as early as Monday, following the implementation of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
“The prisoner swap might start on Monday,” Mousa Abou Marzouq said in a televised interview.
He added that Hamas does not plan to militarize or publicly celebrate the handover process of captives.
The first phase of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began at noon local time on Friday, as part of a broader Gaza peace initiative backed by the United States.
According to reports citing the agreement’s terms, Hamas is expected to free all living Israeli captives within 72 hours after Israel officially approves the deal.
The document further states that Hamas will provide information about deceased Israeli captives through a joint coordination body involving Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Israeli estimates suggest that 48 Israeli captives are still held in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 11,000 Palestinians remain imprisoned in Israel, where they reportedly face harsh conditions, including torture, malnutrition, and lack of medical care, as noted by various human rights organizations and media outlets.
Abou Marzouq emphasized that Hamas maintains strong negotiating leverage.
“The prisoner file is one of the pretexts used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to justify continuing the war in Gaza,” he said.
He added that Hamas is actively coordinating with international mediators “to overcome obstacles and secure the release of Palestinian leaders detained in Israeli prisons.”
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