Hamas: Israel must release ex-detainees before negotiating new swap deal

Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said there will be no new negotiation on any swap deal unless Israel releases the ex-detainees who were freed in the Shalit-swap deal and rearrested recently.

“Re-arresting of ex-detainees runs contrary to the agreement of Shalit swap deal and will not blackmail or pressure Hamas movement”, Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Israel has no choice but to release the ex-detainees in order to start negotiations for any new prisoner exchange deal”, he said.

Israeli forces re-arrested a number of Palestinian ex-detainees who were released within Shalit swap deal signed in 2011. A thousand of Palestinian captives were released in return for releasing the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who was detained in 2006 and remained as prisoner in resistance captivity for five years.