Hamas leaders in Gaza spared no expense to maximize their victory, the Shalit prisoner release deal, with over 250,000 people taking part in the day’s rally. Despite the fact the ‘heavy terrorists’ were not released, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and other officials were on hand to maximize the political gain, greeting the released prisoners, speaking of the 40 who were exiled to Qatar, Syria and Turkey, calling them “real heroes”.

Speakers told the participants in the rally that Hamas made certain to include terrorists from all factions on the list of names, seeking to show the widespread concern of the terrorist regime, adding “the victory is not ours alone, but that of the residents of the West Bank, Arabs of 1948, Jerusalem and the occupied Golan Heights”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)