Al-Qassam plots Palestinian prisoner release

Abu Obaida, the spokesman for the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has vowed to carry out further operations similar to Dispelled Illusion, which led to the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. Speaking on the seventh anniversary of the operation, Obaida said that his group would liberate all Palestinian prisoners currently detained in Israeli prisons. Al-Qassam Brigades, Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, and the Army of Islam conducted Operation Dispelled Illusion targeting a military camp on the Eastern borders of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. During the operation, the groups captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, killing two other Israeli soldiers and injuring six. Five years after the operation, an exchange of prisoners operation led to the release of 1027 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Obaida said that the operation sent a significant message to the prisoners, it showed them that the Palestinian people will not leave them behind. "We are doing our best to release all the prisoners in the occupation prisons," he said. Obaida added that the operation was managed with the highest levels of security, highest degree of precision, caution and responsibility and that it was a "historical and high quality operation." He claimed that Israel was forced to admit to its failure in the operation, and until this moment it hasn't been able to overcome what happened. "The operation had a psychological impact on Israel," he asserted.