Hamas will demand Gilboa jailbreakers' freedom in Israel prisoner swap talks
Hamas will demand Gilboa jailbreakers' freedom in Israel prisoner swap talks
The freedom of the six daring Palestinians who escaped Gilboa Prison will be among Hamas' demands, said Khaled Meshaal, Hamas' overseas political leader.
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Hamas' Khaled Meshaal spoke with the Gilboa relatives by telephone [Getty]
Ìýwill demand the release of theÌýsix Ìý withÌý, according to the movement.
Hamas political bureau member Zaher Jabarin toldÌý°®Âþµº's Arabic serviceÌýAl-Araby Al-Jadeed that the groupÌýis still engaging with mediatorsÌýdespiteÌýIsraeli hesitancy.
He suggested in theÌýinterview publishedÌýTuesday thatÌýIsraelÌýremains unwilling to pay the "necessary price" for the release of Israelis held byÌýHamas' armed branch,Ìý, but thatÌýthey will eventually agree to talks.
Jabarin said Israel now understands that it cannot pressure Hamas to release the Israel detainees via possible reconstruction efforts in Gaza - following the Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian enclave - or the crushing blockade on it.
He said the Palestinian detainees held by Israel will have to be freed forÌýHamas to releaseÌýthe Israeli captives.
The six daring Gilboa Prison escapees will be part of this exchange, should Khaled Meshaal, , get his way.
The six menÌýbroke out of the maximum-security facility in Israel's north two weeks ago, prompting celebrations across Palestine and embarrassment for Israel. All have sinceÌýbeen recaptured.
Meshaal spoke with relatives of the Gilboa jailbreakers by telephone and told them they will be part of the deal with Israel,ÌýAl-Araby Al-JadeedÌýreported on Tuesday.
He claimed: "These prisoners and the rest of the imprisoned children of the national movement and their leaders will soon see freedom, God willing."
This will come "through an honourable exchange deal worthy of the Palestinian resistance [Hamas], which took the initiative and assumed this national and historic responsibility".
The senior Hamas leader also applauded the six Gilboa escapees, saying "they are doing the impossible with their mighty will, seeking freedom and salvation from the occupation's prisons".
In-depth: "Time running out for Hamas- prisoner swap deal as annexation looms" writes Ben Lynfield
— °®Âþµº (@The_NewArab)
The Gilboa relatives, who must now wait to see if the prisoner swap progresses, told Meshaal they are confident in Hamas and its leaders, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Among the held by Hamas are two soldiers, captured during Israel'sÌýmilitary campaign against Gaza in 2014.
Israel believes the soldiers have been killed, although Hamas will neither confirm nor deny this.
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