Hamas names Russia as condition for prisoner exchange with Israel

RIA Novosti news agency quoted Hamas political office member Basem Naim as saying that the movement has asked Russia to play a role in the prisoner exchange with Israel.

Ra điều kiện trong trao đổi tù binh với Israel, Hamas điểm danh Nga một vai trò quan trọng. PBS

Hamas gunmen. (Source: PBS)

Accordingly, Hamas asked Russia to become the guarantor of the exchange, and at the same time, wanted the presence of Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations in this process.

In addition, Mr. Naim emphasized that any agreement on the Gaza Strip must lead to a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the opening of borders and the provision of food to the area.

Earlier, on the night of January 31, Israeli state television station KAN reported that Hamas demanded that Israel release all members of the Nukhba force captured on October 7, 2023, in exchange for the release of the hostages.

The Nukhba force includes Hamas's most elite fighters and was also the first gunman to break into Israeli territory on October 7, causing bloody massacres and leading to conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas' request has been received and discussed by Israeli authorities, but no decision has been announced.

Hamas is currently studying a hostage release deal proposed by Qatar and Egypt, which includes three phases. The first phase is a 40-day cessation of hostilities, in exchange for which Hamas would release some of the approximately 132 civilian hostages it is holding.

In the following stages, Hamas will continue to return the remaining hostages, including soldiers, and the bodies of the dead hostages.

A Palestinian official familiar with the matter said that Hamas would find it difficult to reject the ceasefire proposal, but the group would not sign the agreement unless it was assured that Israel was committed to ending the conflict.

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