Daniel Siryoti: Hamas Eyes 'Schalit 2' Scenario

by Daniel Siryoti

Senior Hamas officials urge the abduction of Israeli soldiers to facilitate another large-scale prisoner exchange deal • Hamas and Fatah agree on new border security force to be stationed in Gaza Strip's border crossings with Egypt, Israel.

Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh Photo credit: Reuters

Senior Hamas officials on Sunday urged the abduction of Israeli soldiers, saying they hope this will facilitate another large-scale prisoner exchange similar to the 2011 Schalit deal. In that deal, 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, after more than five years in Hamas captivity.

"We strive for an abduction operation that would make a second Schalit possible," Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri said in an interview with Palestinian media.

"Over 1,000 of our Palestinian brothers who were incarcerated in the Zionist occupation's prisons were released as part of that deal, and only through operations similar to the Schalit deal can we hope to facilitate the release of more prisoners." 

Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh echoed the sentiment, saying, "Hamas leadership is debating ways to secure the release of prisoners from the Israeli occupation's prisons. We would welcome any action that would bring about the prisoners' release. They symbolize the just Palestinian struggle."

A spokesman for Hamas' military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, warned Israel on Sunday of the resumption of hostilities, saying, "The Zionist occupation has failed to destroy the Palestinian resistance. Our reaction will be blood for blood, destruction for destruction."

Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, he said, will soon reveal "surprising proof of how the occupation capitulated to the Palestinians' demands and accepted nearly all of them. Our brothers, the prisoners, must be patient. Their days in jail are over and their release is closer than ever." 

Meanwhile, senior Palestinian sources confirmed Sunday that as part of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation negotiations, and the Cairo talks on the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip, both parties have agreed that the Palestinian Authority's security forces would be deployed in the border crossings between Gaza and Israel, and between Gaza and Egypt.

The future border security force will reportedly include 9,000 of Ramallah's security forces, who would be stationed in the Gaza Strip.

The force's mandate would be limited to border security and it will not be part of Gaza's police force. The latter, which was formed by Hamas, will be subjected to the Palestinian Authority's Interior Ministry.

Daniel Siryoti

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=20401

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