Hamas will launch six Israeli captives and hand over the our bodies of 4 others this week as a part of the Gaza ceasefire settlement, the group’s chief within the enclave mentioned.
Khalil al-Hayya, head of the Palestinian group in Gaza mentioned the handover of the our bodies will happen in Gaza on Thursday and that six dwelling Israeli captives will probably be launched on Saturday.
“Hamas has confirmed, together with the resistance, its seriousness in implementing the settlement with full duty,” he mentioned on Tuesday. “We stress the necessity to oblige the occupation to implement all provisions of the settlement with out procrastination.
The workplace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that talks in Egypt resulted in an settlement on the discharge of six dwelling Israeli captives on Saturday as a part of the primary part of the ceasefire cope with Hamas.
Israel may also obtain the our bodies of 4 lifeless captives on Thursday, earlier than one other 4 our bodies later subsequent week, the assertion mentioned.
The primary part of the Gaza truce, which was brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt, is because of expire on March 1. Negotiations on the subsequent phases, together with a everlasting finish to the battle, haven’t but begun.
Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut mentioned the releases could possibly be a significant improvement relating to negotiations on part two of the ceasefire.
“Hamas mentioned they’re doing this as a result of they need the second part to happen. The Israelis have been asking for this for a couple of week now, saying they need the our bodies of some captives to be launched earlier than the top of part one,” she mentioned.
Salhut famous that the our bodies of members of the Bibas household have been anticipated to be handed over on Thursday. In November 2023, Hamas introduced the household was killed in an Israeli air strike.
Husband and father Yarden Bibas was launched final month as a part of part one of many ceasefire deal.
“The Israeli army had mentioned they’d nice considerations over the destiny of the mom and her two youngsters, however didn’t verify whether or not they have been killed. Hamas now confirms they are going to be releasing the our bodies,” Salhut added.
Former director basic of the Israeli International Ministry Alon Liel, identified that Hamas returning our bodies of the Israeli captives to the Crimson Cross, “might have a devastating impact on the Israeli public.”
He mentioned it could be a day of mourning in Israel which might shock the individuals.
“However it’s nonetheless higher than getting nothing from Hamas. We’d like to have all of the dwelling hostages and the our bodies again in Israel as quickly as doable,” Liel mentioned.
Israel seeks ‘most flexibility’ in talks
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal in Gaza on January 19, after greater than 460 days of a battle that has devastated the Palestinian territory.
Nonetheless, Israel has violated the ceasefire in Gaza 266 occasions, killing at the least 132 individuals, Palestinian safety sources informed Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
Because the ceasefire took impact, Israeli leaders have additionally mentioned the opportunity of an imminent return to combating in Gaza, with far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s cupboard pushing for a army occupation of the enclave, whereas US President Donald Trump has referred to as for the compelled displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Mohamad Elmasry, a professor on the Doha Institute for Graduate Research, informed Al Jazeera, mentioned Israel is searching for “most flexibility” upfront of potential talks over the second part of the truce cope with Hamas.
“On the one hand, there are whispers that at the least some within the Israeli authorities need to transfer to part two of the Gaza ceasefire and [US President] Donald Trump’s Center East envoy mentioned he’s assured there will probably be a part two. All of that appears to be optimistic,” Elmasry mentioned.
“However, Israel and the US are in a means speaking from each side of their mouth as a result of they’re nonetheless speaking in regards to the full eradication of Hamas and Trump’s compelled expulsion and ethnic cleaning plan for Gaza,” Elmasry added.
On Tuesday, Israeli International Minister Gideon Saar mentioned that Israel will start negotiations “this week” on the second phase of the ceasefire deal in Gaza.
“We had yesterday night time a safety cupboard assembly. We determined to open negotiations on the second part. It would occur this week,” Saar mentioned of the talks, which have been initially supposed to begin on February 3.
He added that Israel calls for “a complete demilitarisation of Gaza and no presence of the Palestinian Authority”.
