Israel ‘risks reviving Hamas’ by exchanging terrorists like my father for hostages

0
579

Mosab Hassan Yousef

Mosab Hassan Yousef, who now lives in the US after seeking political asylum there, fears the consequences if his father and other jailed terrorists are freed - 

The son of a founding member of Hamas has warned Israel must not “rejuvenate” the terrorist group by releasing its most dangerous members – including his father – from jail as part of a hostage deal.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, 46, is the eldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of Hamas’s foremost leaders in the West Bank. It had been expected that he would follow in his father’s footsteps and rise through the ranks to become a leading figure within Hamas.

But instead he was recruited to work for the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, at the age of 17, and went on to work as a spy for Israel’s security service for a decade.

During that time he attempted to break the “cycle of violence against innocent people” , and the intelligence he provided helped Israel to thwart terrorist attacks at the height of the second intifada.

Mr Yousef’s father has spent more than 25 years in Israeli jails, according to the Palestinian Information Centre, having been arrested several times over the past two decades by the Israeli security services.

He is currently in an Israeli prison after being arrested on Oct 19, 2023 as part of the crackdown on Hamas following its Oct 7 invasion of southern Israel in which more than 1,200 people were killed, and 254 taken into Gaza as hostages.

 
Sheik Hassan Yousef
Sheikh Hassan Yousef was a founding member of Hamas and one of its leaders in the West Bank. He is now in an Israeli jail - 

As reports emerge that a deal to end the war in Gaza and return Israeli hostages could be reached in the coming weeks, Mr Yousef urged Israel not to release Hamas terrorists from its jails as part of the agreement, including his father and others who he said he helped to “bring to justice”.

He told The Telegraph: “The only card in Hamas’s hands today is the hostages – they want the release of hundreds if not thousands of mass murderers from Israeli prisons.

“The most dangerous Hamas leaders today are not in Qatar or Turkey – they are in Israeli prisons. That includes my father.

“And Hamas wants to force Israel – using the international community and the global pressure – to release mass murderers of the calibre of [former Hamas leader, Yahya] Sinwar. They want them released back to the streets, can you imagine?”

Mr Yousef warned that releasing senior Hamas members from Israeli jails as part of an exchange deal for Israeli hostages “could actually rejuvenate Hamas and bring us to square one”.

He added: “We are talking about some very dangerous people – even if they are released abroad they can continue forming and creating terrorist cells and attacking Jews worldwide.”

Last November, Israel and Hamas reached a temporary ceasefire agreement in which 81 hostages were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

In August of this year, one of the Palestinian prisoners freed in the swap carried out a terrorist attack, shooting and seriously wounding an Israeli man along with two Palestinians in the West Bank.

Mosab Hassan Yousef speaking at a screening of uncensored footage of the Hamas massacre of Oct 7 at the United Nations
Mosab Hassan Yousef speaking at a screening of uncensored footage of the Hamas massacre of Oct 7 at the United Nations - 

During his time as a spy, Mr Yousef was considered to be one of Israel’s most valuable sources operating from inside the Hamas leadership, and his recruitment was kept a secret even within the Shin Bet.

But after emigrating to America in 2007, and claiming political asylum, Mr Yousef decided to reveal his identity and publish his memoirs.

Last month, he travelled to the UK to speak at the Oxford Union in a debate on the motion: “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide.”

He said that as he entered the debating chamber he was “mobbed, insulted and intimidated”, adding: “Some people were doing signs to cut our throats, we were accused of ‘treason’ and called bad names in Arabic.”

He said it gave him flashbacks of his time in the West Bank, explaining: “All of a sudden I realised, am I back in Ramallah? Am I back in Palestinian territory where I am condemned to death?”

Last week, Hamas and Israel accused each other of sabotaging a potential ceasefire and hostage deal despite both sides reporting “significant” progress in past days.

Negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, have taken place in Doha this week, rekindling hope for an agreement that has proved elusive.

Hamas accused Israel of laying down “new conditions”, while Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, claimed the Palestinian terror group was going back on understandings already reached.

AfriPrime App link:  FREE to download...

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT

Sponsored
Laura Geller
Search
Sponsored
Laura Geller
Categories
Read More
News
Philippines Wants US, Japan to Take Over Rail Deal Eyed by China
A Philippine freight railway project may be built with the support of the US and Japan, an...
By Ikeji a year ago 0 1K
Wellness
What Are the 10 Worst Foods for Cholesterol? Reviewed By: Melinda Ratini, DO
What Is Cholesterol? Your liver makes a waxy substance called cholesterol. It helps your...
By Ikeji 2 years ago 0 3K
News
Manhole Composite Covers Market to reach USD 5.47 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 3.50%, Segments, Size, Trends
The market analysis furnishes insights into the drivers and restraints affecting the Manhole...
By kirsten a year ago 0 2K
Fitness
https://www.facebook.com/ParacareParasitesCleanseAustraliaReviews/
Paracare Parasites Cleanse Australia ❗❗❤️Shop Now❤️❗❗...
By imkrystalcisneros 13 days ago 0 187
Other
Pregnancy Physio Adelaide
As mentioned, the female body goes through significant changes and demands during pregnancy. For...
By tastethebarossa 7 months ago 0 1K