BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israel agreed to lift its siege on the Gaza Strip as part of a deal to release soldier Gilad Shalit, Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouq said Tuesday.
Abu Marzouq, deputy head of the Hamas politburo, told Palestine TV that Israel had used Shalit as a pretext to blockade Gaza but there had been "unofficial agreements" to end it during talks with a German mediator.
"This was confirmed in the last negotiations," Abu Marzouq said.
Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after Shalit was captured in 2006.
Shalit was released on Tuesday as Israel freed 477 prisoners in the first stage of a deal to release over 1,000 detainees.
Israel pledged not to pursue the prisoners for their actions prior to their detention, Abu Marzouq said.
He added that Israel had crossed many of its own red lines in the agreement, including releasing prisoners with "blood on their hands" and freeing detainees from inside Israel.
He added that the deal was the only chance for hundreds of the prisoners to be freed. Some of the released detainees were serving multiple life sentences.
The Hamas deputy expressed regret that several prominent prisoners were left out of the agreement, including Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine secretary-general Ahmad Saadat and Hamas military leaders Abdullah Barghouthi and Ibrahim Hamed.
The deal was delayed because Hamas tried to secure the release of all leaders, Abu Marzouq said, but Israel retreated on other demands and agreed to free 60 percent of the imprisoned leaders and so an agreement was reached.
He said Hamas negotiated the deal without concern for regional or international pressure.
"We did not politicize the prisoners issue."
Abu Marzouq, deputy head of the Hamas politburo, told Palestine TV that Israel had used Shalit as a pretext to blockade Gaza but there had been "unofficial agreements" to end it during talks with a German mediator.
"This was confirmed in the last negotiations," Abu Marzouq said.
Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after Shalit was captured in 2006.
Shalit was released on Tuesday as Israel freed 477 prisoners in the first stage of a deal to release over 1,000 detainees.
Israel pledged not to pursue the prisoners for their actions prior to their detention, Abu Marzouq said.
He added that Israel had crossed many of its own red lines in the agreement, including releasing prisoners with "blood on their hands" and freeing detainees from inside Israel.
He added that the deal was the only chance for hundreds of the prisoners to be freed. Some of the released detainees were serving multiple life sentences.
The Hamas deputy expressed regret that several prominent prisoners were left out of the agreement, including Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine secretary-general Ahmad Saadat and Hamas military leaders Abdullah Barghouthi and Ibrahim Hamed.
The deal was delayed because Hamas tried to secure the release of all leaders, Abu Marzouq said, but Israel retreated on other demands and agreed to free 60 percent of the imprisoned leaders and so an agreement was reached.
He said Hamas negotiated the deal without concern for regional or international pressure.
"We did not politicize the prisoners issue."
Maan News Agency
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