Hezbollah lauds Hamas prisoner swap agreement with Israel

Hezbollah lauded on Wednesday the much-anticipated Hamas-Israel swap of Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli soldier, saying it comes to frustrate all beliefs that the solution to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis could be resolved via negations. Israel and Hamas announced an agreement on Tuesday to exchange more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza for five years, a deal brokered amidst the simmering situation in the Middle East region. Hezbollah, a supporter to Hamas, extolled what it described as a major victory meted out on Palestine, at the hands of its resistance. "We sanguinely look forward to see the Palestinian resistance liberate, with its dauntless endeavors, the rest of the [Palestinian] prisoners." Hezbollah's statement also called on Arab countries to join ranks, supporting resistance movements. "It is the sole route towards retrieving rights, liberating prisoners and land." Both sides had approved the deal following a three-hour debate, after which both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal announced the agreement in televised comments. Mr Mashaal said 1,000 men and 27 women prisoners would be released, the first 450 over the next week and the rest within two months. He said they would include 315 prisoners serving life sentences