 "Hamas fighters gahter at a square before handing over four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza City on January 25, 2025. AFP")
Hamas on Tuesday said that talks on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal have begun after Israel said that it will send negotiators to Qatar this weekend to discuss the next part of the truce.
“Contacts and negotiations for the second phase have begun, and we are currently focused on shelter, relief and reconstruction for our people in Gaza,” Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou said in a statement.
The second phase of the ceasefire agreement will put an end to the war and under it, the rest of the living hostages will be released.
The first phase, which took effect on January 19, halted more than 15 months of bombardment and fighting that has levelled much of the Gaza Strip.
The development comes ahead of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli PM will be the first foreign leader to meet Trump after his inauguration.
How many hostages have been released so far?
In the first phase of the truce, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The latest release happened last week when three men held hostage in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months were freed.
Here are the hostages who have been released so far:
Yarden Bibas
Keith Siegel
Ofer Kalderon
Arbel Yehoud
Agam Berger
Gadi Moses
Watchara Sriaoun
Sathian Suwannakham
Surasak Rumnao
Pongsak Thaenna
Bannawat Saethao
Liri Albag
Karina Ariev
Daniella Gilboa
Naama Levy
Romi Gonen
Emily Damari
Doron Steinbrecher
Israel to send delegation
Israel said it was sending a team to negotiate the next phase in its fragile ceasefire with Hamas, signalling possible progress.
Netanyahu’s office said Israel would send a delegation to the Qatari capital Doha later this week for negotiations.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Israel is preparing for the working-level delegation to leave for Doha at the end of this week in order to discuss technical details related to the continued implementation of the agreement,” Netanyahu’s office said following meetings with Trump’s advisors, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
With inputs from agencies