 "‘Will only lead to more suffering for hostages’: Hamas warns Israel ahead of phase-2 truce talks")
Hamas on Thursday said that it is ready to negotiate the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal as the first one is due to expire this weekend. The Palestinian terror group released the bodies of four slain hostages in exchange for 600 prisoners, the last such swap under the first phase of the truce agreement.
Talks on the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which would see the return of dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more prisoners and a lasting ceasefire, have not begun yet.
Soon after it released the bodies of the dead hostages, Hamas said in a statement that the “only way” for Israel to secure the release of the remaining hostages was through negotiations and adhering to the agreement. It warned that any attempt to pull back from the truce “will only lead to more suffering” for the captives and their families.
24 prisoners yet to be released
Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly held off the release of 24 other Palestinian prisoners who should have been freed in the overnight exchange.
The 24 Palestinian detainees include 23 teenagers and one woman, all taken into Israeli custody during military raids in Gaza.
As part of the ceasefire, Israel committed to releasing more than 1,000 detainees who hadn’t participated in the October 7 attack.
The bodies of the four dead hostages have been identified and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed on Thursday that the remains of Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat and Shlomo Mantzur have been returned to Israel.
When will the second phase start?
While negotiations on the second phase of the deal have not been initiated yet, a report by the Washington Post says that a deadlock seems to be in persuading Hamas to lay down its arms and leave Gaza, fulfilling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war goal of dismantling the terrorist group.
Hamas views disarmament as incompatible with its core mission of armed resistance against Israel until all occupied Palestinian territories are relinquished. While its officials have expressed willingness to share governance in Gaza with other Palestinian factions, they remain firm on maintaining military capabilities, akin to Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon.
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