Report: Hamas demanding release of terrorists serving life sentences in return for civilian hostages

Hamas is making attempts to reach a hostage deal even more difficult by introducing a “poison pill” in the form of demands that terrorists serving life sentences be released for civilian hostages in the first stage, The Washington Post reports.

Citing “officials involved in the details” of the talks, Kan News reports, furthermore, that the US is holding up presenting its new formula for a deal because of the new Hamas demand.

Until now, the formula was that hardened terrorists would only be released for kidnapped IDF soldiers, including 150 life-term murderers to be released from Israeli jails during the first phase in return for the five female surveillance soldiers held hostage.

Last Thursday, Channel 12 reported that Hamas had increased the number of Palestinian security prisoners serving life terms for murder that it is demanding be released in the earliest days of the first 42-day phase of a deal.