Hamas is pressuring Israel to include several high-profile Palestinian prisoners in a release list tied to a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza. The demand comes after the Israeli justice ministry published a list of 250 prisoners slated for release but excluded seven prominent figures, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.
Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader serving five life sentences for planning deadly attacks, remains one of the most popular Palestinian political figures. Ahmad Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), is serving a 30-year sentence for leading an “illegal organization” and his alleged role in the 2001 assassination of an Israeli minister.
Hamas argues that their inclusion is essential, viewing them as symbols of Palestinian resistance. A senior Palestinian official told the BBC that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had promised to raise the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but Israel has so far refused.
Under the agreement, 20 Israeli hostages are expected to be released before Monday noon, as part of a ceasefire plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Israel will free 250 prisoners serving life sentences and another 1,700 Palestinians detained from Gaza. The remains of deceased hostages will also be returned, with at least 26 confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Israel are preparing for the return of hostages, and hundreds of aid trucks are expected to enter Gaza daily following the ceasefire.
As negotiations continue, Hamas is also seeking additional releases, including those rearrested after previously being freed in the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange. The fate of the deal may hinge on Israel’s willingness to reconsider its prisoner list a move that could influence both political and humanitarian outcomes across the region.
