Hamas: Israel will have to pay a price to free its soldiers

Member of Hamas’s political bureau Rawhi Mushtaha has expressed his belief that the Israeli occupation state will have to pay eventually a price for its captive soldiers in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview conducted with him by al-Aqsa satellite channel on Wednesday, Mushtaha said that one of his Movement’s goals is to liberate Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, stressing that Hamas is committed to that.

He stated that Israel had tried to gather information about its soldiers in Gaza from different parties and countries but all to no avail.

The Hamas official affirmed that his Movement would not engage in any talks about swapping prisoners or provide information on Israeli soldiers without Israel honoring the first swap deal (Shalit deal).

He stressed the need for releasing all detainees who had been released as part of the 2011 prisoner exchange deal and later re-jailed by Israel.

“It would be better for the Israeli government to hasten to strike the deal because our prisoners in its jails have the ability to remain steadfast and patient until there is a deal, something which the families of Israeli soldiers do not have,” he said.