Releasing all Palestinian detainees who were freed in the 2011 Wafaa al-Ahrar deal but were rearrested afterwards is a precondition to start talks on a new prisoner swap agreement with the Israeli occupation, Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanoa has said.

Speaking Monday at a sit-in held in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross’ office in Gaza, al-Qanoa denounced the re-arrest of freed Palestinian detainees as “Israeli bullying” that goes in complete disregard for the Egyptian-brokered agreement and its terms.

The Palestinian resistance has ‘strong cards’ to release Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, al-Qanoa stressed.

The Hamas spokesperson demanded the Israeli occupation immediately free all Palestinian detainees who were rearrested after the Wafaa al-Ahrar agreement.

Al-Qanoa called on Egypt to intervene and place pressure on the Israeli occupation to force it to abide by the 2011 prisoner exchange deal and release all Palestinians rearrested after this agreement.