The Elders, a group of prominent former world leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, have called on the United States to urge Israel to release Marwan Barghouti, a widely supported Palestinian leader who has been imprisoned since 2002. They argue that Barghouti's release would be a significant move toward achieving a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The group also condemned recent Israeli strikes on Gaza and called for increased humanitarian aid to the region, while highlighting concerns over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. The Elders emphasized the importance of free and fair elections for Palestinian leadership and noted Barghouti's status as a unifying figure, drawing parallels to Mandela.