Egyptian-brokered negotiations over a deal for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit hit an impasse this weekend after Israel refused to free all 450 long-serving Palestinian prisoners sought by Hamas.
Negotiator Ofer Dekel told cabinet members on Tuesday that Israel has agreed to release about 325 prisoners on the list, 144 of whom would be sent abroad or to the Gaza Strip. The others would be allowed to return to their homes.
The cabinet decided after a special three-hour briefing on the negotiations Tuesday to publicize the list of Palestinian prisoners Hamas has demanded be freed.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had balked at releasing those who orchestrated the deadliest bus and cafe bombings that have killed scores of Israelis since the outbreak of a Palestinian uprising in 2000, political sources said.
The cabinet decided after a special three-hour briefing on the negotiations Tuesday to publicize the list of Palestinian prisoners Hamas has demanded be freed.
The list includes hundreds of prisoners with "blood on their hands," including terrorists sentenced to multiple life terms.
Partial list of prisoners Israel refuses to free:
# Ibrahim Hamed
Head of the Hamas military wing in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He was charged with planning terror attacks in which 36 Israelis were murdered,
including the attacks on the Cafe Moment and Hebrew University cafeteria, both in Jerusalem.
His trial is ongoing.
# Hassan Salama
Head of Hamas' Jerusalem branch, responsible for two suicide bombings on the city's No. 18 bus in 1996 and for a suicide bombing in Ashkelon the same year.
He was arrested following the attacks and sentenced to 49 life sentences.
# Abdullah Barghouti
Senior bombmaker for Hamas' military wing in the West Bank. He was convicted of planning terror attacks in which 66 Israelis were murdered and hundreds hurt, including the attack on a Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem.
He was sentenced to 67 life terms in 2003.
# Abbas Sayid
Head of the Hamas military wing in Tul Karm. He was convicted of planning terror attacks in which 35 Israelis were murdered and hundreds hurt, including the attack on the Park Hotel in Netanya in 2002.
Sayid was sentenced to 35 life terms in 2006.
# Mahand Sharim
Sayed's deputy, involved in planning the suicide attack on the Park Hotel in Netanya in 2002.
# Ra'ad Hutri
One of the masterminds of the attack on the Dolphinarium in Tel Aviv, which killed 22 young Israelis. He was also involved in suicide attacks in Neve Yamin and at the Bar Ilan Bridge.
# Jamal Abu al-Haiga
Hamas' leader in Jenin, sentenced to nine life terms for his involvement in suicide bombings at the Hadera Mall, at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem. He also planned a number of other attacks from his home in Jenin.
# Muath Bilal
Sentenced to 26 life sentences for the deaths of 26 Israelis. He was involved in suicide bombings at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem and on the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in 1997.
# Bahij Badr
Responsible for the death of 18 Israelis in suicide bombing in Tzrifin, at the Hillel Cafe in Jerusalem and in south Tel Aviv.
Partial list of prisoners Israel is willing to free into exile
# Saeed Badarna
Given life sentence for involvement in suicide bombing at Hadera Central Bus Station, in which five Israelis were killed. He was also involved in shooting and bombing attacks across the West Bank.
# Abed al-Latif Shakir
Fatah militant, over 50 years old, given life sentence for his involvement in the murder of Israeli Defense Forces soldier Akiva Shaltiel in 1995 and for planting an explosive device at a cinema in Tel Aviv in 1986.
# Nasser Nazl
Hamas militant who sent a suicide bomber to the Bar Ilan Bridge, killing one Israeli.
# Zeir al-Kilani
Given life sentence for planting explosives on Allenby Street and at the Dolphinarium Beach in Tel Aviv. He was also responsible for detonating a bomb inside a taxi at the Ben-Ami Junction, killing one Israeli.
# Mohammed al-Karm
Hamas militant sentenced to 15 life terms for his role as mastermind of a suicide bombing on a Haifa bus in 2001, in which 15 Israelis died.
# Walid al-Najs
Given 26 life terms for involvement in planning suicide bombings and for deploying the explosives used in attempted attacks in central Israel.
# Ibramim Shmasana
Participated in the murders of the youths Ronen Karmani and Lior Tovol in 1990, and in the murder of taxi driver Rafi Doron in the same year.
# Iad Shladala
Hamas activist who killed Sasson Nuriel following his kidnap in 2005.
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