Hamas announced on Tuesday that it will hand over the bodies of four hostages to Israel on Thursday, including members of the Bibas family, and release six more on Saturday as part of the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement. This agreement came into effect on January 19 after 15 months of conflict.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior official and chief negotiator of Hamas, confirmed the information in a televised speech, also stating that the Palestinian resistance group is working with mediating countries (especially Egypt and Qatar) to pressure Israel to allow the entry of heavy machinery, shelters, food, medicine, and fuel into Gaza, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

Progress in Prisoner Exchange

Since the start of the ceasefire, a total of 21 Israeli hostages out of 33 have been released, while more than 730 Palestinians out of 1,900 have also been freed. The seventh prisoner exchange is set to take place this Saturday, marking a significant milestone in the peace process.

Next Phases of the Peace Agreement

The second phase of the truce, scheduled to begin on March 2, aims for the release of all hostages and the definitive end of the conflict, followed by a final stage dedicated to the reconstruction of Gaza.

This announcement comes amid regional tensions, as mediating countries work to ensure the full implementation of the agreement and prevent a resumption of hostilities.

EN ESTA NOTA: