Third Prisoner Exchange Completed in Gaza Amid Israeli Attempts to Disrupt It in Frustration Over the Resistance’s Presence /  Al-Qassam Mourns Its Martyred Commanders, Led by Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, and Rafiq Salameh

 January 31, 2025

The political editor wrote

The occupying entity – both its leadership and settlers – appeared to be in a state of psychological rupture yesterday. On one side, the public celebrated the return of prisoners released from Gaza; on the other, they questioned the honesty of their leaders, who had deceived them with promises of absolute victory. Yet, in a day of undeniable truths, the resistance skillfully exposed everything that needed to be seen. The settlers found answers to their most pressing questions about victory and defeat and the justification for a war that ultimately led to an agreement that had been on the table for nine months. Meanwhile, their defeated leadership had sold them a false image of triumph – one based on the brutal massacre of Gaza’s civilians and the indiscriminate destruction of their homes, schools, and hospitals. They claimed to have eradicated most of the resistance’s capabilities, leaving behind only scattered, disoriented fighters. Yet, before their eyes, in a single defining moment, they saw the undeniable reality – thousands of well-organised, well-equipped resistance fighters still standing across Gaza, fully prepared as if the war had never taken place.

The Netanyahu government, seething over this spectacle and its repeated occurrence with every exchange, attempted to disrupt the process by suspending the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners. However, this delay lasted only an hour before the government was forced to set a new release time, allowing a new group of resistance fighters – some serving multiple life sentences – to regain their freedom.

With the exchange successfully completed and the resistance reaffirming its enduring presence, the leadership of the al-Qassam Brigades, through its spokesperson Abu Ubaida, announced the martyrdom of several senior commanders during the war, most notably Commander of Staff Mohammed Deif. Abu Ubaida declared, “We celebratorily announce to our great people the assassination of al-Qassam’s Commander of Staff, Mohammed Deif, alongside several other leaders: Marwan Issa (Deputy Commander of Staff), Ghazi Abu Tama’a (Head of Weapons and Combat Services), Raed Thabet (Head of Manpower), and Rafi’ Salameh (Commander of the Khan Younis Brigade)”.

In Lebanon, the government formation process remained in limbo, though optimism rose after a meeting between Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun. While no final agreement emerged, leaked details suggested an in-depth discussion of the political and technical obstacles hindering the government’s formation. This was followed by an understanding on how to dismantle these barriers, with Aoun pledging to assist in resolving disputes with parliamentary blocs.