Terror mastermind may be released as part of hostage deal – report

Fatah leader Barghouti may be freed on the condition that he will go to Gaza and not to Judea and Samaria.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

As part of a deal to free Israeli hostages from Gaza, the mastermind behind the Second Intifada, Marwan Barghouti, may be released from Israeli prison, as reported by The Saudi channel Al-Sharq. 

According to the report, Fatah leader Barghouti may be freed on the condition that he will go to Gaza and not to Judea and Samaria.

The terms of the newest hostage deal would call for the release of high-security Palestinian prisoners, including those who have killed Israelis.

Sources say that Hamas will demand the release of Marwan Barghouti in the initial phase of the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held back a delegation from going to Cairo for hostage negotiations on Saturday until Hamas indicates they are ready to agree to the current proposal, KAN news reports.

An Israeli official commented, ”We will not want to make a commitment before we see if Hamas is flexible.”

Another Israeli official added the delegation would go to Cairo only if it saw “positive movement” regarding the deal, however, the negotiation is expected to be “long and tough.”

Israeli officials said there is some indication Hamas has dropped its demand to end the war in the first phase of the deal.

However, the officials added that Egyptian sources may be trying to sound overly confident about a deal to delay the start of the operation in Rafah.

The current proposal on the table will call for a 40-day pause in fighting, and the release of 33 hostages, including women, young people, adults over 50, the sick and wounded in exchange for 20 Palestinian terrorists for every hostage.

The release of each female soldier would coincide with the release of 20 terrorists serving life sentences.

In addition, Israel would have the right to veto 200 names of terrorist Hamas demands.

In the first phase of the deal, Israel will withdraw from heavily populated areas of the Gaza Strip and allow the transfer of more humanitarian aid.