Hamas issued a statement Sunday, welcoming the decision by Israel's cabinet, earlier in the day, to release 250 prisoners from the Palestinian Authority (PA) from Israeli jails as a goodwill gesture to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, according to Maariv/nrg. At the same time, Hamas criticized Israel's continued contacts with Abu Mazen which, they claim, keeps Gaza crossings to rest of Israel closed.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum added that Hamas "demands and insists upon the release of all prisoners now being held in the jails of the occupiers."