Hamas said he will release six hostages from Gaza this week and hand over four other bodies, including the remains of two young children from the same family whose deaths had not been confirmed previously.
Hamas negotiator Khalil Al Haiya said the four bodies handed over on Thursday included 32-year-old Siri Vivas and her sons, Kufir and Ariel. From Nir Oz Kibbutz during the attack on October 7, 2023 that sparked the Gaza War.
Yaden Vivas, the boy’s father, was told by Hamas that his family had died when he was released earlier this month, but Israeli authorities were unable to confirm their deaths. The family said the father still believes they can still live. Hamas claims that the young boy and his mother were killed in the Israeli bombing.
Hamas said it will release six surviving hostages on Saturday. This represents a slight acceleration in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Under the initially agreed timetable, they were to be released in three two groups. This is the last two groups on March 1st, when the second phase begins. Four more bodies will be handed over as planned next week.
The release of the six hostages on Saturday was confirmed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In return, all remaining Palestinians scheduled to be released from Israeli prisons in the first stage will be released on Saturday. Israeli reports said that Israel would allow some bulldozers and mobile homes that had been waiting for the Egyptian side of the border, and launch a massive challenge of rebuilding devastated Palestinian territory.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israeli negotiators in Doha will begin discussing details of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement “this week” and “this week.” The meeting was to begin in the first week of February.
The second phase would include the release of all hostages with corresponding Palestinian detainees and prisoners, as well as the completion of the Israeli Defence Force’s withdrawal from Gaza, including the intersection of Rafa. It’s become. war.
The right-wing of Netanyahu’s governing coalition was determined to oppose the start of the second phase and threatened to overthrow the government, but Donald Trump’s Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkoff stepped into the issue over the weekend.
“Phase 2 is a little more complicated than Phase 1, but we’re going to start for sure,” Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday, adding that he only told Netanyahu on the phone that day about the issue. I did.
Two days later, Sa’ar said: “At last night’s security cabinet meeting, we decided to hold negotiations in phase 2. It’s going to happen this week.”
Asked what happens if there is no agreement on how to implement the second phase over the next 10 days, Sa’ar said there are two other options. There was a “constructive dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement.”
The future of Gaza, beyond the second phase, is even more ambiguous. Israel argues that Hamas cannot play any more role in its governance. Sa’ar argued that there must be a complete “derailment” of Gaza society.
Earlier this month, Trump sparked global rage, saying that the US would take over ownership of Gaza. Over two million residents should somehow depart for neighbouring countries, and the entire coastal area will be redeveloped into “Riviera” resorts.
Egypt and Jordan, which were expected to occupy most of the deported Palestinians under the plan, rejected the proposal. On Friday, leaders from both countries will meet UAE counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Riyadh, and are set up alternative plans to ensure Gaza remains Palestine land. After that, there will be the Arab League Summit in Cairo on March 4th.
