Jerusalem strikes firm stance — Hamas’s top terror masterminds, including Barghouti and Saadat, excluded from the prisoner release under Trump-brokered ceasefire.
In a firm demonstration of Israel’s moral and strategic resolve, the government has removed Hamas’s most notorious murderers — including Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Abbas al-Sayyid, and Hassan Salameh — from the list of terrorists set to be released under the Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement that took effect early Friday morning.
Also struck from the list is Hakim Awad, the barbaric terrorist who slaughtered the Fogel family — including three children — in 2011, and Mahmoud Atallah, infamous for sexually assaulting female guards during the “prison pimping” scandal.
By excluding these names, Israel made clear that while it seeks the return of its hostages, it will not surrender its justice or conscience to appease Hamas’s grotesque demands.
Still, several high-profile Palestinian terrorists are among those to be released — many serving multiple life sentences for murdering Israeli civilians and soldiers, including repeat offenders who were previously freed in the 2011 Shalit deal and returned to terror.
The list includes:
- Baher Dar, serving 11 life sentences for the 2004 Tzrifin suicide bombing and attacks in Tel Aviv.
- Ibrahim Alikem, the killer of Ita Tzur and her 12-year-old son Efrayim, ambushed near Ramallah in 1996.
- Fares Ghanem, sentenced to nine life terms for eight murders, and Atiyah Abu Samhadga, who raped and murdered a Jewish woman.
- Iyem Kammamji, involved in the kidnapping and murder of Eliyahu Asheri, one of the Gilboa Prison escapees in 2021.
- Hussein Jawadrah, who stabbed to death IDF soldier Eden Attias at age 16.
- Riyad Al-Amour, senior Tanzim commander, convicted for the deaths of nine Israelis, including Brigadier-General Yehuda Edri.
- The Neve Yaakov attacker who killed policewoman Galit Arviv and injured eight others in 2002.
- The handlers of the Carmel Market suicide bomber, and Islamic Jihad’s Jenin military chief, Iyad Abu Al-Rub.
Shockingly, several Israeli-Arab terrorists are also among the released, including the Line 20 Jerusalem bus bomber (2002) who murdered 11 Israelis, and Emad Shahada, who raped and murdered a teenage girl.
Also included:
- Ahmad Ka’abna, killer of Hagit Zavitzky and Liat Kastiel.
- Hamdallah Ali, senior Hamas figure re-arrested after the Shalit deal.
- Hazam Awad, Fatah commander behind a wave of deadly bombings.
- Taleb Mahamrah, who murdered five Israelis and fellow Arabs.
- Musa Safen, who murdered his mother for marrying a Jew.
- Adnan Abi’at, head of Tanzim in Bethlehem, and Ismail Hamdan, another senior operative.
- Nader Abu Turki, Hamas liaison between Turkey and Judea-Samaria, not to be deported despite past offenses.
- Ahmad Siyag, who stabbed a female soldier, and Zaid Ghanidi, head of a Hebron terror cell.
While Israel pays a painful price to bring its hostages home, it has drawn a clear red line: mass murderers like Barghouti and Salameh will never walk free.
As one senior Israeli official stated:
“This is not appeasement — this is redemption. The hostages return home, and Hamas’s worst monsters stay behind bars.”
