Hamas said on Tuesday that it had agreed to a simultaneous exchange of the bodies of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners as the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire nears an end.
The terrorist group said the resolution was reached during its delegation’s visit to Cairo, Egypt, during which Hamas affirmed its commitment to implement all “stages and clauses” of the cease-fire deal.
The resolution was made after Israel delayed the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners since Feb. 22 in response to what Israel said was Hamas’s “repeated violations” of the cease-fire agreement by holding “humiliating” handover ceremonies of the bodies of Israeli captives.
As part of the resolution, Hamas said it would transfer the bodies of four Israeli captives in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, as well as an unspecified number of Palestinian women and children held in Israel’s detention, on the same day.
It did not provide a specific date for the transfer. The Israeli government has not yet made any statement regarding the agreement.
The resolution would keep the cease-fire deal intact before the first phase ends on Saturday.
Bibas’s body was returned on Feb. 21. Her two children, Ariel and Kfir, were among the four bodies delivered to Israel on Feb. 20. The bodies of both children were positively identified by Israel’s national forensics center.
The first phase of the cease-fire agreement was that Hamas would release 33 Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and that Israel would withdraw toward the east, pulling its armed forces away from the populated areas. Negotiations on the second and third phases are expected to take place at a later stage.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, said on Monday that he will embark on a five-day trip to Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia this week to discuss the next phase of the cease-fire deal.
“So we will get to stage two or phase two, and I’m very focused on that, and I think it’s going to happen,” Witkoff said during an interview with CBS News’s “Face The Nation.”
In phase two of the cease-fire deal, which has not yet been negotiated, Israel seeks the release of all remaining hostages, including an estimated 24 living Israelis, and Hamas’s full withdrawal from Gaza. In return, Hamas seeks the release of more Palestinian prisoners and an end to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“We can achieve a future where a safe and secure Israel exists alongside a viable and independent Palestinian State,” Kaag told the U.N. Security Council. “This requires continued, concerted effort, dedication and political courage by all parties.”
The Israel Defense Forces launched its military operation in Gaza after Hamas-led terrorists carried out widespread attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. More than 1,100 people were killed, thousands injured, and 250 taken hostage during that attack.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health department said that Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza has led to more than 48,000 deaths. The department does not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
