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Hamas, Israel swap Gilad Shalit for 1,027 Palestinians
The Israeli cabinet approves the agreement, brokered by Egypt and Germany. In the next few days, the Israeli soldier and a first group of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, including 27 women, should be released. For analysts, the swap represents a political victory for Hamas.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured in 2006 in a raid by Palestinian militants. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said the deal was reached after difficult negotiations and that Shalit would be reunited with his family in the next few days. In exchange for his release, Israel will free 1,027 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, including 27 women. However, many high-profile Palestinian prisoners are not part of the swap. The Israeli cabinet approved the deal by a large majority (26 to 3) at the end of a heated discussion that lasted three hours.
Reports said the first 450 prisoners, including 280 with life sentences, would be released in the coming days, with the rest released over the next two months. About 110 (55 from Hamas and 55 from Fatah and other groups) will be able to go home in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Another 131, many from Hamas and living in Gaza, will be released in Gaza; 203 will be instead expelled from the West Bank, 40 going abroad, the others to Gaza. Six Israeli Arab prisoners who spent many years in jail will also go home.
The deal also involves the release of 27 women prisoners. Ahlam Tamimi and Amna Muna, in prison for acts of terrorism, will be expelled. The other 25 will go home. Over the next two months, 550 Palestinian prisoners picked by Israel will also be freed.
The head of Shin Bet, Yoram Cohen, told journalists that high profile Hamas prisoners, whose release was expressly requested, like Abdullah Barghouti, Ibrahim Hamed and Abbas Sayed, would not be freed. Ahmed Saadat, secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Marwan Barghouti, charismatic Fatah leader who is purging five life sentences, will not be released as well. Israel currently holds about 5,000 Palestinians in its prisons.
For some analysts, the swap represents a political victory for Hamas. The agreement itself was brokered by Egypt and Germany.
In the past few months, the popularity of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority, has grown as a result of his push for the international recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations.
The release of 1,027 prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier captured during a Hamas military operation is likely to strengthen the Palestinian group’s focus on armed resistance. At the same time, it highlights divisions within the Palestinian camp, something not lost on Israeli hawks. By weakening Abbas’ political role, a peace deal thus becomes that much more difficult to achieve.