Hamas says freedom of Palestinian prisoners in Israel ‘top priority’

By Muhammad Majed

ISTANBUL (AA) – The freedom of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is a top priority for resistance group Hamas, the movement’s political chief said on Saturday.

"The issue of prisoners in the occupation prisons figures atop of the priorities of Hamas and the resistance,” Ismail Haniyeh told an event in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Haniyeh said Hamas holds captive four Israelis, pledging that “they will never see the sun unless our (Palestinian) prisoners enjoy their freedom”, according to a statement issued by Hamas.

In April 2016, Hamas said it had taken four Israeli soldiers captive. It withheld their identities except for Oron Shaul, an Israeli soldier missing since the 2014 Israeli offensive on Gaza.

Meanwhile, at least 4,650 Palestinians are held by Israel, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society, an NGO.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar