Efforts to end the Gaza war involve a comprehensive plan, including the release of hostages. Negotiations between Hamas and Israel are set to occur in Egypt to finalize a hostage agreement. Central to these discussions is Hamas’s demand for the release of several high-profile Palestinian terrorists, a demand Israel has been reluctant to meet. The specific terrorists Hamas seeks to release include:
* **Marwan Barghouti:** A prominent figure in Fatah Tanzim, involved in the planning of attacks during the Second Intifada, resulting in the deaths of five Israelis. He received five life sentences.
* **Ahmad Saadat:** The leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who plotted the assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi in 2001, and is serving a 30-year sentence.
* **Ibrahim Hamed:** A Hamas commander in the West Bank, held responsible for the deaths of numerous Israelis.
* **Abbas al-Sayed:** The individual behind the 2002 Park Hotel bombing in Netanya, which resulted in the deaths of 39 Israelis.
* **Hassan Salameh:** Involved in the planning of multiple suicide bombings.
Hamas is resolute on the release of these individuals, considering it a crucial condition for any agreement, even if it potentially derails the entire process. Currently, Israel has 303 prisoners serving life sentences.
Additionally, Hamas is requesting the release of members of the Nukhba force, the elite unit of Hamas that participated in the October 7, 2023, attacks. Israel has rejected this request. An Israeli official indicated that Israel may be open to releasing certain convicted terrorists, but the release of those implicated in the October 7 attacks is doubtful.
Hamas’s additional demands also encompass a guaranteed full withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, along with a specified timetable. The Hamas negotiating team, under the leadership of Khalil al-Hayya, will collaborate with the Palestinian Authority (PA) team in order to establish the post-conflict governance framework for Gaza, possibly involving the PA.