Fadwa Barghouti, the wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, abruptly left Ramallah for Cairo late Tuesday, a Palestinian source told the Israeli news outlet Ynet.
Her departure has attracted attention against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations in Egypt over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of prisoners.
Talks, which began Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, reportedly revolve around a framework that includes a Gaza ceasefire, the release of Israelis held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian detainees, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip, and the eventual disarmament of Hamas.
Egypt’s state-run Cairo News Channel reported that discussions have already begun on lists of Palestinian prisoners to be freed under the exchange deal. According to the outlet, Hamas is pressing for the release of high-profile detainees including Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader Ahmed Saadat, Hassan Salameh, Abbas al-Sayed, and others.
Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure, was arrested by Israel in 2002 and convicted two years later. He is serving five life sentences for his alleged role in attacks during the Second Intifada (2000–2005).