Israel does not intend to release prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti as part of an agreement reached with Hamas to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Thursday.
"I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release," spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of Trump’s Gaza plan, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said, with a partial Israel Defense Forces pullback in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages within 72 hours. Further details are expected to be announced later.
An Israeli official said the deal will not include the release of four high-profile Palestinian prisoners long sought by Hamas in negotiations: Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa’adat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayed.
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said both sides “agreed on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms” for the first stage, which is intended to lead to ending the war, releasing Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allowing expanded humanitarian aid into Gaza.
A senior Hamas official, Mohammad Nazzal, told Qatar’s Al Araby TV that the understandings constitute a first phase that includes a declaration to stop the war and begin prisoner exchanges, with subsequent stages to be negotiated. He said humanitarian aid would enter Gaza through five crossings and that details had been set for a staged pullback of IDF forces.
In a formal statement, Hamas praised the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and called on Trump and regional and international actors to ensure Israel fully implements the agreement.
Details of the deal
Trump announced the breakthrough overnight, saying Israel and Hamas had accepted a US- and Qatari-brokered framework for releasing hostages and a partial Israeli troop withdrawal.
Once the government vote passes, Israel will be required to withdraw its forces within 24 hours to a designated line agreed upon with Hamas.
The redeployment is expected to leave the Israel Defense Forces in control of roughly 53 percent of the Gaza Strip.
Following cabinet approval, a 72-hour countdown will begin.
By the end of that window, Hamas must release all hostages “in one fell swoop and without public ceremonies,” according to the terms of the agreement.