Hamas No. 2 claims group refused latest offer for Schalit, says, "We don't discriminate between prisoners."
By JPOST.COM STAFFZahar 248.88(photo credit: AP [file])
Hamas refused an offer from Israel to free all Gazan prisoners in exchange for captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, top Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar claimed on Saturday night.
"We don't discriminate between prisoners," Zahar said in a speech in honor of Prisoner Day. "We are demanding the release of all prisoners on the list we submitted, including prisoners from the West Bank, Jerusalem and 1948 Arab prisoners."
Zahar went on to claim that Hamas had "already succeeded in securing the release of prisoners with blood on their hands, but not a satisfactory amount."
On Friday, Zahar appeared in public for the first time since Operation Cast Lead.
According to a Reuters report, Zahar spoke during a service in a Gaza mosque, saying, "We cannot...and we will never recognize the enemy in any way, shape or form." His speech was broadcast on the Hamas radio station.
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![Zahar 248.88 (photo credit: AP [file])](https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/16856 "Zahar 248.88")