Report: Hamas demanding release of Marwan Barghouti in first stage of deal, believes he could run Gaza in its stead

Hamas has demanded the release of top Fatah figure and convicted terror operative Marwan Barghouti in the first phase of a proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal with Israel, Sky News Arabia reports.

According to the report, mediators — including the United States — accepted the demand for the highly popular Palestinian leader to be among the first security prisoners released in exchange for the Gaza hostages, should Israel and Hamas finalize a deal that has been in the works for months.

Barghouti is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for his part in planning three terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.

Citing unnamed sources, Sky News Arabia says Hamas has demanded Barghouti’s release as the terror group knows it cannot return to power in the Gaza Strip and sees the former head of Fatah’s Tanzim terrorist faction as a useful ally it could trust to run the Strip according to its liking.

The terror group was previously said to have demanded Barghouti’s release during negotiations for a deal that ultimately fell through back in March.