Officials say Gaza ceasefire deal solved by mediators
Officials of Israel and Hamas say that the latest deadlock in the Gaza ceasefire deal has been solved by mediators.
Israel on Saturday delayed the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners, stating that there was a cruel treatment of Israeli hostages assigned by Hamas. Hamas said that it was a serious violation of the deal.
It is now expected that prisoners will be freed as another group, possibly on Wednesday or Thursday, in exchange for the return of bodies of four hostages.
This will clear us to visit the region for the Middle East messenger Steve Witcoff. He has said that he wants Israel and Hamas to start negotiations in the second phase of the ceasefire.
There were reports of success when thousands of Israelis gathered in the city between Central Legian, which to see the funeral procession of hostage Shiri Bibas and his two young sons, Ariel and Kefir, whose bodies were returned by Hamas last week.
On 7 October 2023, he was killed in captivity after he was abducted during Hamas attack on Israel, who triggered the war in Gaza.
Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday night that a delegation led by the group’s Gaza leader, Khalil al-Haya had concluded Cairo’s journey after reaching an agreement to solve the problem when the Palestinian prisoners were released.
He said, “They will be released together with the bodies of Israel (hostages), which agreed to hand over during the first phase, in addition to the same Palestinian women and children,” said this.
Heyya also reiterated the commitment of “with all his stages and sections” for the deal of Hamas’s ceasefire.
There was no immediate confirmation of the Israeli government.
But Israeli sources told The Hatez newspaper that the bodies of four hostages were expected to be handed over by Hamas on Wednesday evening at the Carem Shalom crossing of Southern Gaza.
The source said that the families of the four hostages were informed.
They were not identified, but are believed to have Shlomo Mansoor, 86, Ohad Yahlomy, 50, Tschi Edan, 50, and Itzic Elgarat, 69, 69.
Egyptian officials said that Hamas had agreed to hand over the bodies without any ceremony inside Gaza on Thursday.
Hamas – was prosecuted as a terrorist organization by Israel, USA, UK and other countries – earlier this week warned that until the prisoners were released, the ceasefire would not participate in an indirect conversation about further steps in the ceasefire.
During the war, 620 Palestinian prisoners, including more than 400 ghazans detained by Israeli forces and 50 prisoners who were sentenced to life sentence in Israeli jails were released in exchange for six living and four dead bonds, which were assigned by Hamas last week.
A total of 33 Israeli hostages for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and prisoners from Gaza should be exchanged during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which is due to ending Saturday.
So far, 25 living hostages and four dead hostages have been released. Both Israel and Hamas have said that the last four hostages have died. Five living Thai hostages have also been freed outside the deal.
The agreement has seen Israeli forces back from the densely populated areas of Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been allowed to return to their homes in the north and hundreds of assistance lories are now being allowed in the area each day.
In the second phase of the ceasefire, 57 remaining hostages should be released, a full Israeli return and a permanent ceasefire from Gaza.
The Israeli army launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the October 7 attack, killing around 1,200 people and 251 was taken hostage.
According to the Hamas-Interested Health Ministry of the region, at least 48,348 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
Gaza’s 2.1 million population has also been displaced several times, about 70% of buildings are estimated to be damaged or destroyed, healthcare, water, hygiene and hygiene systems have collapsed, and lack of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.
