Hamas rules out any possibility of prisoner swap with Israel
October 10, 2023
As the fighting between the Israeli forces and Hamas intensifies with hundreds of Israelis under hostage, Palestinian resistance fighters ruled out any possibility of a prisoner swap with Tel Aviv as the occupied entity has suffered over 800 casualties since the potent attack on early Saturday.
The group indicated that the prisoners would be executed if the Israeli strikes occurred in the Gaza Strip without prior warning to residents.
According to AFP, Qatar is spearheading efforts to negotiate an exchange of prisoners between Israel and Hamas following the Palestinian group's surprise response against the continued brutality of Israel in Tel Aviv.
Discussions on the release of dozens of people — taken into custody during the group's advance into southern Israel Saturday — had made "some headway," the report stated quoting a source who is briefed on the negotiations.
Hamas official Hossam Badran had earlier told AFP: "The military operation is still continuing... therefore there is currently no chance for negotiation on the issue of prisoners or anything else."
"Our mission now is to make every effort to prevent the occupation from continuing to commit massacres against our people in Gaza, which directly target civilian homes," he added from Doha.
At least 800 people have been killed in Israel since the surprise offensive.
On the Gaza side, at least 687 people have been killed after Israel launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave in response.
Qatar has hosted a political office for Hamas for over a decade and has been one of the group's principle backers.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh issued a video message from Qatar on Saturday, broadcast on the militants' Al-Aqsa television channel, saying his group was on the "verge of a great victory" and demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held a call Sunday with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, saying Qatar was "making all its diplomatic efforts with various concerned parties" in a bid to de-escalate the current situation.
