Hamas confirmed on Wednesday that prisoner lists were presented to Israel as part of ongoing indirect talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement.
The negotiations, according to a statement by the group, are focused on three main points: ending the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners.
Taher al-Nunu, media adviser to the head of Hamas’s political bureau, said the delegation had “presented the necessary positivity and responsibility” to advance efforts toward an agreement. Mediators, he said, were “making great efforts to remove any obstacles,” and that “a spirit of optimism prevails among all parties.”
The statement added that the exchanged prisoner lists were based on previously agreed criteria and figures.
Palestinian sources who spoke to Ynet said the issue of prisoner releases has taken on new urgency, particularly following the submission of updated lists by Hamas earlier Wednesday. The sources pointed to increased Turkish involvement, with Ankara pushing for specific individuals to be included, as well as Hamas’s demand to release prisoners serving long or life sentences.
A senior Palestinian official told Ynet that efforts are underway to raise the number of life-sentence prisoners to be released from 250 to 300. The Palestinian Prisoners Club says 303 individuals are currently serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, including some incarcerated before the Oslo Accords.
“For these prisoners, this could be their last chance to go free,” the official said.
According to the official, Turkish mediators are also pressing Israel to avoid vetoing specific names and to drop demands for deportation to third countries. “The most important thing is their release,” the source said, noting that the list includes Arab-Israeli prisoners serving lengthy terms.
Deportation remains a point of contention in negotiations
“Deported prisoners are technically released, but they face many difficulties—especially those staying in Egypt,” the official said. “They hold no citizenship, cannot move freely, and Egypt serves as a transit point to other destinations in Europe or countries such as Pakistan that accept Palestinian prisoners.”
The official also said that most prisoners released in previous deals have not returned to terrorism or political activity, and many now reside abroad with limited involvement in Palestinian affairs.