Hamas denies signing prisoner swap deal with Israel

Members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement march from the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on 27 September 2021. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]

Hamas has not signed a prisoner swap deal with Israel, a Hamas official announced yesterday.

Al-Arabiya yesterday reported that there was “significant progress” in negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding a potential prisoner exchange deal.

Safa quoted Zaher Jabarin as saying that rumours would “never succeed in pressuring the resistance’s leadership.”

He called on the media “to stay cautious and avoid spreading rumours that manipulate the feelings of the prisoners and their families.”

Israel believes the bodies of two of its soldiers, Lieutenant Hadar Goldin and Sergeant Oron Shaul, are being held in Gaza after they were killed in battle during the 2014 assault on the enclave. This is in addition to two alleged civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham Al-Sayed, who Hamas says are also soldiers and are being held as prisoners of war.

READ: Bennett still rejects release of Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences

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