Gaza War: Palestinian Envoy Asks that Hostage Exchange Should Be Without Timeline

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah Shawesh has said the ongoing exchange of hostage between Hamas and Israeli government should encompass over 7,000 Palestinian hostages in Israeli cells.
He noted that the entire crisis should be treated holistically for a solution and return of peace, insisting that there should not be timeline to hostage release from both camps.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on the ongoing hostility between Hamas and Israeli forces in Gaza, Shawesh noted the ongoing situation should be used to solve the age-long crisis between Israel and Palestine, and in that light hostages across the two borders should be released holistically without timeline.
He said that the hostage exchange talk should include the over 7,000 Palestinians behind bar before the outbreak of current hostility.

He claimed every Palestinian is for peace and looking forward to all hostages going to their homes regardless of nationalities.
He however said it should not just be about the Israeli hostages alone but the situation of West Bank and the 2.3 million residents of Gaza, whom should be set free from Israeli siege.

He said there are 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and have been subjected and held hostage by the Israeli since 2007, noting that more than 7,000 Palestinians are in Israeli jail including 300 children.
The envoy said: “So when we talk about hostage solution, it should be collective on both sides. We cannot just talk about one side. I strongly believe that all the hostages, regardless of their nationalities should be back home tonight.

“The Israelis and the Palestinians. And Gaza should be free and likewise West Bank. The people of Gaza should not be subjected to Israeli siege.
“We want the ceasefire and also to ensure that there is no one Israeli or Palestinian hostage.

“We hope that all the hostages, that is, Israelis and Palestinians go back to their homes tonight. It is very important and in this particular issue we need all to take it in a collective manner and not to talk about just the Israeli hostages. There are more than 7,000 Palestinians in the Israeli Jails. More than 300 children.
“More than 2,600 from last escalation. All of them should be set free.”

When asked if there can be peace given the stand of Hamas and Israeli, the envoy responded, “There cannot he peace as long as Israel has nuclear weapon; there cannot be peace as long as they continue to occupy our land.”

He hoped the new agreement would be another step forward towards solving all the problems between Hamas and Israel

“I hope this would be another step forward to have peace between Palestinian Liberation Organisation and Israeli authorities.”