Palestinians demand prisoners release

Source: AP, 16-4-2007
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Holding photographs of relatives held in "Israeli" jails, several thousand people demonstrated outside the Red Cross office in Gaza City on Monday to call for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Monday`s demonstration came on the eve of Prisoners Day, held annually in identification with Palestinians jailed in "Israel", many of them for security offenses ranging from stone-throwing to plotting suicide bombings.
Negotiations are ongoing for a prisoner swap in return for Gilad Shalit, an "Israeli" soldier captured by Hamas-linked militants last June. Shalit`s captors have demanded the release of Palestinians, mainly infants, underage children, elderly, and long term captives without trial.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas assured the crowd that the list of prisoners Hamas is demanding in return for Shalit includes "all our people from all the factions."
Haniyeh said the list includes the best-known Palestinian prisoner - Marwan Barghouti, a popular occupation-resistance leader from the rival Fatah group..
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has expressed disappointment over names on the list, but has not ruled out a deal.
In a statement Monday, Hamas said, "We believe that kidnapping soldiers and exchanging them for prisoners is the best solution for releasing our heroes, after the failure of all the diplomatic channels."
Some 9,250 Palestinians are in "Israeli" jails, according to the "Israeli" human rights group B`Tselem.
"I am optimistic that the day of freedom is coming," said Nedal Sarifiti, 52, who said his son Ali was serving a 25-year sentence in "Israel" on charges of being a Fatah militant.