Hamas is demanding the release of vicious murderers — including one dubbed “the symbol of terrorism” by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — in negotiations this week to release all remaining Israeli hostages and end the war in Gaza.
At the top of Hamas’ prisoner-swap list is Marwan Barghouti, the imprisoned former West Bank leader who earned the fearsome nickname after orchestrating deadly terror attacks during the Second Intifada.
Israeli officials say freeing Barghouti would hand Hamas a propaganda victory and embolden extremists across the region.
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“Hamas isn’t negotiating peace,” one Israeli source told The Times of Israel. “They’re negotiating the future of terrorism.”
The hard-line demand comes as Israel and Hamas continue tense ceasefire talks at Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh
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