As part of the efforts to end the Gaza conflict, a proposed 20-point plan includes the release of hostages. Negotiations are scheduled between Hamas and Israel in Egypt to finalize a hostage agreement. A key aspect of these talks involves Hamas’s demand for the freedom of specific Palestinian terrorists. The following individuals are among those Hamas is seeking to be released:
* **Marwan Barghouti:** Associated with Fatah Tanzim, he was involved in planning multiple terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada that resulted in the deaths of five Israelis, leading to his five life sentences.
* **Ahmad Saadat:** The leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), sentenced to 30 years for plotting the assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi in 2001.
* **Ibrahim Hamed:** The Hamas commander in the West Bank, implicated in the killing of numerous Israelis.
* **Abbas al-Sayed:** The mastermind behind the Park Hotel bombing in Netanya in 2002, which caused 39 Israeli fatalities.
* **Hassan Salameh:** Involved in the planning of several suicide bombings.
Hamas views the release of these terrorists as paramount, making their freedom a crucial element of the hostage deal. There are currently 303 Israeli prisoners serving life sentences.
Hamas is also requesting that Israel release members of the Nukhba force, the Hamas elite unit that took part in the October 7, 2023, attacks. Israel has repeatedly dismissed this request. A senior Israeli official hinted that Israel might consider releasing certain convicted terrorists, though the release of those involved in the October 7 attacks remains unlikely.
Additional demands from Hamas include guarantees for the complete withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza, along with a defined timeline for the withdrawal. The Hamas negotiating team, under the leadership of Khalil al-Hayya, will coordinate with the Palestinian Authority (PA) team to help determine the governing structure for Gaza after the war, potentially incorporating the PA.