The freed prisoner who spent years with Yahya Sinwar in Ashkelon Central Prison, Nabih Awada, revealed the promise made by the head of Hamas in Gaza to Palestinian prisoners on the night of his release in the “Shalit Deal” (Deal of the Free) 13 years ago.
Awada said that during the preparation of the “Shalit Deal,” Yahya Sinwar’s brother, Mohammed Sinwar, who was responsible for compiling the list of prisoners to be released, requested that the list include prisoners from other Palestinian factions such as Fatah, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and not be limited to members of Hamas only.
Awada added that Sinwar, while leaving the prison, loudly proclaimed, “I will not be Sinwar if I don’t free you,” indicating his firm stance against the prison guards but his compassion towards the prisoners.
After his release from prison, Yahya Sinwar became responsible for the prisoner file in Hamas. Through several military operations, he managed to capture four soldiers, two of whom were during the war on Gaza in 2014.
After rising to the leadership of the movement for the first time in 2017 and being re-elected four years later, negotiations continued for the release of these four prisoners, hoping to secure a new deal similar to the “Shalit Deal.”
In December 2022, Sinwar acknowledged the failure of negotiations with the Israeli occupation to release the four detainees in exchange for emptying their prisons. He tried to give them a final ultimatum before closing the file permanently, but the negotiations stalled, as the movement mentioned on its official website.
