Hamas blames Israel for failure of prisoner swap talks

Speaking at a massive rally marking the Movement's 35th anniversary on Wednesday, al-Sinwar explained that Hamas had demanded the release of all Palestinians who were re-detained after being freed as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap agreement along with all female, minor and sick prisoners in return for captive Israeli troops Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed. 

But the negotiations failed, al-Sinwar said.

Reaffirming that Hamas is keen on achieving Palestinian national reconciliation, al-Sinwar hailed all efforts being exerted to accomplish Palestinian unity. 

Al-Sinwar called on the Palestinian Authority to implement all decisions taken by the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Central Committee, including ending security collaboration and political arrests and discussing how to rearrange the Palestinian house.

"We had no strategic disagreement with Fatah when it embraced the option of armed resistance," al-Sinwar added. "We disagreed with Fatah only when it endorsed the approach of security coordination." 

Resistance is the only option to achieve the Palestinian people's aspirations for freedom and return, emphasized al-Sinwar. 

Saluting the Palestinian people everywhere, al-Sinwar called on Palestinian citizens of Al-Quds to remain steadfast and resilient in the face of the Israeli occupation's crimes. 

Al-Sinwar hailed Palestinian citizens of the besieged Gaza Strip who "have paid the heaviest price" to defend Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque and preserve the Palestinian cause.

The Hamas chief in Gaza praised Arab and Muslim fans at the Qatar World Cup for voicing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. 

Meanwhile, al-Sinwar said that the incoming far-right Israeli occupation government is seeking to accelerate the Judaization of Jerusalem and target the Palestinian presence in the holy city, as well as repressing Palestinian detainees, seizing Palestinian lands, and continuing its demolition and detention campaigns.