Hamas warns it will end talks on prisoner swap with Israel

Hamas yesterday warned it would end talks on a potential prisoner swap with Israel, the movement’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Al-Sinwar, said.

“In the face of the occupation’s stalling on this issue, we announce that we give them a limited time to finalize this deal,” Al-Sinwar said.

“Otherwise, we will close the case of the four enemy prisoners from the side of the resistance forever,” he said during his movement’s 35th-anniversary celebration.

“Then, we will find another way to release the Palestinian prisoners,” he said, without giving more details.

Al-Sinwar revealed that his movement was involved in secret rounds of talks on the issue of a prisoner swap.

During the 51-day Israel aggression on Gaza in 2014, Al Qassam Brigades captured two Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin. Israel said they died on the battlefield and their bodies are being withheld.

Two other Israelis, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham Al-Sayed were also detained.