Fatah 'denies' it opposes Marwan Barghouti's release in potential Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange

The Palestinian Fatah Party has strongly denied reports that it opposes the release of Marwan Barghouti as part of a potential prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.

Earlier reports suggested that Fatah feared the release of Barghouti, a hugely popular Palestinian figure, could "threaten" the position of the current party leader and president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.

Barghouti has been imprisoned by Israel since 2002 after he was convicted of murder and had received five life sentences.

The party stressed that reports it opposed his release were "incorrect" and that freedom for Palestinian detainees was at the "forefront of meetings carried out between regional and international parties and with Israel", Arabi 21 reported.

The request to take Barghouti off the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released was allegedly submitted by Majid Faraj, Director of Palestinian General Intelligence, and Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, sourced told Middle East Eye.

According to the source, the US, one of three mediator nations in the Gaza ceasefire talks, had reportedly agreed to remove Barghouti's name from any potential lists that Hamas was set to present.

Hamas reportedly said it would insist on Barghouti's release and other notable Palestinian detainees but talks never reached the stage where names and lists were exchanged. Fatah has since strongly denied the report.

"Marwan Barghouti is a Palestinian national leader who has clear imprints in the national struggle of the Palestinian people, and the issue concerning the release of detainees and whitewashing of Israeli prison conditions is a priority for Mahmoud Abbas, who has always stressed that there will be no peace or stability without the release of our brave prisoners, led by our heroic leaders, such as Marwan Barghouti," the party said, urging media outlets to "be accurate and objective in publishing news".

The 64-year-old rose to prominence as the leader of Fatah’s armed branch, Tanzim, during the Second Intifada in 2000, which was triggered by the failure of the Camp David Summit.

His role in Palestinian resistance and subsequent imprisonment has seen him compared to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, with art and graffiti dedicated to him on walls across West Bank checkpoints and separation walls.

Barghouti has remained increasingly popular among Palestinians throughout the years, with many believing he could assume the role of the Palestinian leadership.

A survey in December last year showed him 40 points ahead of Abbas, who has become increasingly unpopular due to allegations of corruption and other political issues.

Prisoner and hostage exchange deals have been a sticking point in brokered truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas, since the start of the deadly war seven months ago.

At least 34,789 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the deadly military onslaught waged by Israel.

In the latest round of truce talks, Hamas reportedly accepted a true proposal late on Monday, with Israel saying it send a delegation "to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement".