U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, announced early Wednesday that an Israeli delegation had left to participate in the second phase of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
اضافة اعلان
Israeli and Hamas officials confirmed they reached a new agreement to exchange the bodies of Israeli prisoners for the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners who were originally supposed to be freed last week. According to a report by Arab News, this agreement is expected to help maintain the fragile ceasefire, at least until the end of the week.
Israel had delayed the release of the 602 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday, citing mistreatment of previously released prisoners by Hamas. In response, Hamas condemned the delay, calling it a "serious violation" of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas stated that the second phase of ceasefire talks could only proceed after the release of the Palestinian prisoners. This stalemate threatened the truce between Hamas and Israel, with the first six-week phase of the agreement set to end over the weekend.
New Agreement During Cairo Talks
However, on Tuesday evening, Hamas announced a new agreement to resolve the dispute during a visit by its delegation to Cairo, led by Khalil al-Hayya, a senior political official in the movement. This progress is expected to pave the way for the return of four Israeli hostages' bodies, as well as the release of more Palestinian prisoners designated under the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas stated in its statement that the Palestinian prisoners were supposed to be freed alongside the Israeli prisoners' bodies, in addition to a new batch of Palestinian prisoners being released.
The agreement also includes the release of Palestinian women and minors detained in Israeli prisons. According to a statement from Hamas, the deal was reached during a visit to Cairo, where the delegation met with senior Egyptian officials.
Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated that as part of the first phase, Thursday has been set as the date for the delivery of the remaining bodies of deceased Israeli prisoners. Additionally, reports suggest that, based on Hamas' agreement with Egypt, a number of Palestinian women and children held by Israel will also be released.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the agreement includes the return of Israeli prisoners' bodies in the coming days, but refused to provide further details. However, Israeli media outlets have reported that the exchange could take place as early as Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Ynet stated that the bodies of the Israeli prisoners would be handed over to Egyptian authorities without any public ceremonies.
Completion of the First Phase of Ceasefire
This new agreement aims to fulfill the remaining obligations from the first phase of the ceasefire, in which Hamas returned 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
So far, 29 Israeli prisoners, along with five Thai citizens, have been released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and the bodies of four other Israeli prisoners, which were scheduled to be handed over on Thursday.
This development could pave the way for a visit by U.S. White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to arrive in the region in the coming days. Witkoff expressed his desire to push both sides to negotiate the second phase, which involves the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and the commencement of discussions to end the war.
The second phase talks were supposed to begin weeks ago, but have yet to materialize. Witkoff emphasized his readiness to travel to the region urgently, as the first phase of the agreement is set to conclude next Saturday.
During a U.S. event on Tuesday, Witkoff stated, "We are making significant progress. Israel is sending a team as we speak." He added, "They are either going to Doha or Cairo, where the negotiations will resume, again with the Egyptians and Qataris, who are partnering with the U.S. in mediation between Hamas and Israel."
The U.S. envoy confirmed that these new talks aim to "move forward with the second phase and secure the release of more hostages." He also mentioned he might join these negotiations on Sunday if "things go well."
U.S. Support for Israeli Actions
With U.S. backing, Israel has carried out a campaign of genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, resulting in over 160,000 Palestinians killed and wounded, most of whom are women and children. Over 14,000 people remain missing, and nearly 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced, alongside the complete destruction of the region's infrastructure and healthcare system.
