The Palestinian Hamas movement has declared its readiness to release all remaining Israeli hostages during the second phase upon reaching an agreement that will lead to a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip, the movement’s spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
⠀
“We are ready for the second stage, during which prisoners will be exchanged at one time, provided an agreement is reached that will lead to a permanent cease-fire and a complete withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip,” Al Jazeera quoted Qassem as saying.
⠀
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that after successful negotiations in Cairo, Israel expects the release of six living hostages from Gaza on February 22, as well as the transfer of the bodies of four fallen hostages next Thursday.
⠀
A ceasefire has been in effect in the Gaza Strip since January 19 as part of an agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement on the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
⠀
As part of the first stage of the deal, which provides for the release of 33 Israeli hostages and about a thousand Palestinian prisoners in 42 days, four exchanges have already taken place. Since the first day of the truce, humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip have increased to 600 trucks per day, including 50 with fuel. Among other things, Israel has allowed residents of the Gaza Strip to return from the south to the north of the enclave.
⠀
The guarantors of the agreement are Qatar, Egypt and the United States, which have established a coordination center in Cairo. On the 16th day of the truce, Israel and Hamas pledged to begin negotiations on the second phase of the deal, which would presumably include the release of the remaining hostages, a permanent cease-fire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops. The guarantors of the peace process are also talking about the third stage, which includes the exchange of remains, the restoration of the Gaza Strip and the end of its blockade.
