National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is pressing the prime minister to make last-minute changes to the list of Palestinian prisoners slated for release as part of a hostage deal, his spokesman confirms.
The far-right leader, a resident of a West Bank settlement, is urging the Prime Minister’s Office to deport several prisoners convicted of murder or attempted murder, rather than releasing them to the West Bank, the spokesman says.
The PMO is assessing the request, according to Hebrew outlets.
As part of the first phase of a hostage and ceasefire deal, 250 Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences will be freed. Of these prisoners, 115 will return to their homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while another 135 will be deported to locations abroad, which could include Gaza.
According to the Walla news site, Ben Gvir believes allowing terror convicts into the West Bank will “spread fear” among Israeli residents of the territory, though defense officials reportedly prefer they stay close by to keep a close eye on them.
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