Qatar, Syria and Turkey are willing to accept exiled Palestinian prisoners

A spokesman for Hamas has said that Qatar, Syria and Turkey have expressed their willingness to accept some of the Palestinian prisoners who will be sent into exile as a result of the exchange deal with Israel. Ezzat Al-Rishq said that arrangements will be made within the next couple of days. Forty of the released prisoners will be sent into exile beyond the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

---

Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation headed by political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal has gone to Cairo to welcome exiled Palestinian prisoners to Egypt. The delegation includes Moussa Abu Marzouk, Mohamed Nasr and Nizar Awadallah.

Mr Al-Rishq noted that Hamas will make the day of the prisoners’ release a national holiday. “We are keen to make the celebrations for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails a national holiday to reinforce the unity of the Palestinian people,” he said, “especially because the Palestinians agree on the importance of the prisoner issue.” He added that agreement has been reached with “our brothers in the Fatah movement” for the celebrations to be national.