Hamas: Deal reached with Israel to release 620 Palestinians following delay
Days after Israel failed to release hundreds of Palestinians in exchange for Israeli captives, Hamas says it has reached a new agreement with mediators in Egypt to bring the abductees home.
The Egyptian-brokered agreement between Hamas and Israel will also see the exchange of the final four bodies of Israeli captives due to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Wednesday that the resistance fighters would hand over the bodies of the captives on Thursday “simultaneously with the occupation’s release of the postponed batch, in addition to the release of the equivalent number of women and children who were arrested after October 7 in the Gaza Strip.”
There “are clear guarantees from the mediators” that Israel must abide by what has been agreed upon, Qassem said.
The body of Israeli captive Ohad Yahalomi is one of four set for a handover in Gaza on Thursdays, according to Hamas officials.
Israeli media reports said the bodies of the captives would be handed over to Egyptian authorities.
Israel had delayed the release of the Palestinian prisoners after Hamas handed over six Israeli captives from Gaza on Saturday.
Hamas said the delay is a “serious violation” of a ceasefire that largely halted Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip after more than 15 months.
The truce deal, which took effect on January 19, has also seen 25 Israeli captives released alive so far in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The latest agreement would complete the current six-week first phase of the deal which will expire this weekend.
During the first phase, Hamas is returning 33 captives — including eight bodies — in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The latest exchange could also pave the way for negotiations of a second phase, which were supposed to begin weeks ago, but never did.
The second phase was to include a permanent end to Israel’s military campaign, a full withdrawal of the regime’s forces from Gaza and the release of around 60 remaining captives held by Hamas.
And, the third phase of the deal was to include the reconstruction of Gaza, which has been decimated by Israel.
According to UN satellite data (UNOSAT), two-thirds of Gaza's pre-war structures – over 170,000 buildings – have been damaged or flattened by the regime’s military forces.
Hamas condemns Israeli strikes on Damascus, southern Syria
Over 160 Gazan medics held in Israeli jails subjected to torture: Report
Bibas family threatens to sue Israeli regime over propaganda ruse
West Bank becoming ‘battlefield,’ over 50 killed in 5 weeks: UNRWA
Another Palestinian abductee dies in Israel's prison
US sanctions alleged network behind Iran’s drone program
VIDEO | The million-strong funeral
Russia’s Lavrov: Trump’s Gaza displacement plan ‘time bomb’ for region
VIDEO | Hannibal Directive on October 7
Russia, US diplomats to meet in Istanbul to discuss restoration of embassies: Lavrov
Hamas: Deal reached with Israel to release 620 Palestinians following delay
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
