Hamas Demands Release of Prominent Palestinian Prisoners in Ceasefire Negotiations

Mon Oct 20 2025 06:25:22 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Hamas is urging Israel to include high-profile Palestinian prisoners in a deal for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, amidst ongoing tensions and negotiations.

As part of ongoing negotiations following escalating violence, Hamas is pressing Israel to include prominent Palestinian prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti in any prisoner release agreement. The Israeli justice ministry had published a list excluding these key figures, leading to further discussions on the matter. A potential release of 20 Israeli hostages is imminent, while broader ceasefire talks and prisoner exchanges are still in negotiation.

Hamas is pressing Israel to include prominent Palestinians in a prisoner-release list as part of a ceasefire deal that will also see hostages returned from Gaza.

Hamas's insistence follows the Israeli justice ministry's announcement of 250 prisoners to be freed, which notably excluded seven high-profile individuals, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.

These men are serving sentences for their involvement in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians, and they are viewed by Palestinians as symbols of resistance. Meanwhile, twenty Israeli hostages are expected to be released before 12:00 (09:00 GMT) on Monday as part of a deal proposed by US President Donald Trump.

A senior Palestinian official informed the BBC that US envoy Steve Witkoff promised to raise the issue of the excluded prisoners with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but Israel has firmly declined to consider their inclusion.

The potential exclusion of these prominent prisoners could affect the timeline for the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The initial phase of Trump’s ceasefire and hostage return deal, approved recently, aims to end the ongoing violence in Gaza. However, it remains uncertain how the hostages will be released, as past instances of such releases have oftentimes led to public displays by Hamas, provoking outrage from Israel.

The situation escalated following Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in considerable casualties and hostage situations, which have led to increased military operations in Gaza with high Palestinian casualties reported.