Palestinian Authority officials oppose release of Marwan Barghouti, source says

A source familiar with ongoing negotiations in Cairo said senior Palestinian leaders called on mediators to not include Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti in a potential prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas. 

The source told Middle East Eye that the request was made by Majid Faraj, director of Palestinian General Intelligence, and Hussein al-Sheikh the secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's executive committee. 

According to the source, the United States, one of three mediators involved in the indirect Gaza ceasefire negotiations, had reportedly agreed to remove Barghouti's name from any potential lists Hamas is expected to present.

The source added that senior PA leaders feared Barghouti's release would threaten the leadership of PA President Mahmoud Abbas. 

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