Analyst Mahjoob Zweiri says the release of Palestinian prisoners is a “dilemma” for Israel due to the corresponding gains in popularity for Hamas, according to Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Zweiri said the moment Palestinians are out of prison, those who negotiated for their release become de facto “in power”.

“Hamas has been in power many times because of the release of Palestinians. With [former Israeli soldier held in Gaza] Gilad Shalit, 1,100 Palestinian prisoners were released and 1,100 families believe that Hamas is the main player behind this,” said Zweiri, who is the director of the Gulf Studies Centre and professor of contemporary Middle East politics at Qatar University.

He noted that there were Palestinians yesterday in the occupied West Bank who were “chanting for Hamas”.

“This is not helping the Palestinian Authority (PA),” Zweiri said.