An Israeli government spokeswoman on Thursday said high profile Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti would not be exchanged as part of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal reached by Israel and Hamas.


When asked by a journalist whether Israel had agreed to release Barghouti, government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told a briefing that: “I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release.”

Barghouti -- from Hamas’s rival, the Fatah movement -- was among the Palestinian prisoners Hamas wanted to see released as part of the Gaza deal, according to Egyptian state-linked media.

At the top of Hamas’ list is Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader seen by many Palestinians as a potential future president.

Barghouti began his political activity at age 15 in Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement and was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996. Arrested in 2002 during Israel’s “Operation Defensive Shield,” he is serving five life sentences plus 40 years for attacks that killed Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly stated that “symbols of terrorism, led by Barghouti,” will not be included in any stage of a prisoner exchange deal.