A senior Hamas official on Wednesday denied reports of indirect negotiations with Israel over a deal for the release of Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers that are held by Hamas in Gaza, in return for the release of imprisoned terrorists in Israel.
Earlier this week, public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel in recent weeks held "intensive" discussions with Hamas over a deal that could secure the release of the four Israelis.
The renewed push to strike a deal was sparked by the recent election of Yahya Sinwar as Hamas's leader in Gaza, the television station reported, without citing sources.
But in a conversation with the Palestinian Arab news agency Quds Press, the Hamas source said on Wednesday that Hamas's position since the end of the war in 2014 has been clear, and the movement will not begin negotiations on an exchange deal until Israel releases 54 prisoners who were released as part of the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011 and then rearrested due to their resuming terrorist activities.
Hamas is holding the bodies of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were killed during the counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
In addition to Goldin and Shaul,two Israeli citizens, Avraham (Avera) Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, are missing in Gaza and are believed to have mental illnesses.
Hamas has in the past refused to negotiate with Israel over the citizens, choosing instead to taunt the Goldin and Shaul families.
Also on Wednesday, Hamas attacked the statements made by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who expressed a commitment to act to force Hamas to return the bodies of Goldin and Shaul.
Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas leader, said that the ambassador's remarks were insolent and constituted "proof" that the American administration does not understand the source of Hamas's strength and steadfastness.
"Hamas and the heroic forces of our heroic people will destroy all your plans," he threatened.