Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant has displayed a document he claimed was written by Hamas leader Rafe’ Salama, allegedly addressed to Al-Sinwar. Gallant claimed that the letter revealed the supposed collapse of Hamas, citing statements that “70% of weapons were destroyed, 95% of rockets were depleted, and 50% of militants were either killed or wounded.”
However, the actual content of the letter, written in Arabic, contains no such information regarding the military capabilities of Hamas. Instead, it focuses on internal discussions concerning a prisoner exchange deal. Below is the full translation of the letter Gallant referenced:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
“As for those who strive in Our cause, We shall surely guide them to Our Ways. *107 Indeed Allah is with those who do good.”
Dear brothers, each by his name and title… may Allah protect you.
Peace and blessings be upon you.
I pray to Allah that everyone is well, and I congratulate our beloved leader for the success that God granted to his soldiers in the recent operation, which resulted in the killing of four enemy soldiers and the wounding of 10 others. We ask Allah to spare Rafah and its people, army, and weaponry from the wrath of the enemy, amen.
* I am sending this letter to share our perspective on the latest proposal. I have read the paper submitted by our elder brother Abu Ibrahim and the comments he made on the previous proposal during my recent visit to you. We discussed these matters in detail, and in this letter, I will address the points raised by Abu Ibrahim and the potential traps in the previous proposal. Points raised in the previous proposal and updates in the new document:
* The number of prisoners to be released in the first phase is 33:
According to the new document, we are to release the available individuals from the same category (women, children, elderly, female soldiers). In cases where the required number cannot be met, the count can be supplemented by bodies from the same categories, resolving this issue. I had suggested in our meeting that we could fill the gap from another category at a price we determine, as we have living prisoners, allowing us to negotiate.
* Exchange keys for the first phase:
There is a significant improvement here, as the number of exchanges for women and children has been increased to 30 individuals for each person from the same category, based on lists provided by Hamas. The exchange rate for the elderly has also been increased to 30 prisoners for each individual from the same category, according to the lists we provide based on seniority. Additionally, the number for female soldiers has been raised to 50 for each soldier, an increase from 40 in the previous proposal. Notably, 30 of them are to be individuals with life sentences, and 20 with high sentences, according to lists provided by Hamas based on length of imprisonment. I believe these new terms represent a clear advancement and meet our expectations for this issue.
Contrary to Gallant’s claims, the document contains no information suggesting that Hamas’s military infrastructure has collapsed or that its leadership is in distress. Instead, it revolves around strategic negotiations regarding prisoner exchanges, with no concrete link to the military losses Gallant emphasized during his presentation.