Hamas says ready to swap Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners
The spokesman for the military wing of Hamas said Saturday that the group is ready to swap dozens of hostages it is holding for all the Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The spokesman, using the nom de guerre Abu Obeida, said in a televised speech that such a deal also could be conducted in stages, but that Israelis “should know the price that they have to pay.”
On Saturday, hundreds of relatives of hostages gathered in a square in downtown Tel Aviv and demanded that the government put the return of their loved ones ahead of Israel’s military objectives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet with the hostage families later Saturday. Military officials have said they are trying to both topple Hamas and bring back the hostages but have not explained how they could obtain both objectives at the same time.
The families of the hostages fear Israel’s ramped-up offensive in Gaza is endangering the captives.
Source: Associated Press
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