The Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth has reported that Hamas’ ongoing negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh include a demand for the release of Ibrahim Hamed, a senior commander and the former head of the movement’s military wing in the West Bank.
According to the newspaper, Hamed was described as the chief strategist behind Hamas’ military operations during the Second Intifada, and had been pursued by the Israeli internal security agency, the Shin Bet, for years.
An Israeli security source told Yedioth Ahronoth:
“This is a man with the capabilities of Yahya Sinwar — and even more.”
The occupation authorities, the report added, have rejected Hamas’ call to release Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, and it remains unclear whether Israel will agree to free any other high-profile detainees as part of a potential deal.
The paper further alleged that Hamed was the mastermind behind nearly 90 percent of the major resistance operations during the Second Intifada, serving as the commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank at that time.
In his leadership role, Hamed was said to have planned and coordinated dozens of operations against Israeli military and settler targets, including several large-scale martyrdom attacks. He has reportedly been on Israel’s wanted list since 1998.
Following years of pursuit, Israel eventually arrested Hamed in 2006, and he has since been serving multiple life sentences imposed by Israeli courts on charges of “terrorism” and “murder.”
In June 2012, Hamed was convicted by an Israeli court of killing 46 Israelis and injuring more than 400 others, after which he was sentenced to 54 consecutive life terms.
Context and Significance
The demand for Hamed’s release underscores Hamas’ insistence on securing the freedom of its most influential and long-serving prisoners, many of whom are viewed within Palestinian society as symbols of steadfastness and resistance.
Ibrahim Hamed, much like Yahya Sinwar, represents a generation of leaders whose strategic and organisational skills shaped the armed struggle in the early 2000s. His inclusion in the movement’s negotiation list reflects both Hamas’ prioritisation of key commanders and its commitment to reaffirming loyalty to those who sacrificed in the fight against occupation.
