KEY POINTS
- Hamas says it will proceed with the planned hostage release
- The Palestinian group says it does not want the ceasefire to collapse
CAIRO, Egypt: Hamas said on Thursday it has agreed to continue implementing the Gaza ceasefire deal and will proceed with the release of Israeli hostages on Saturday as planned, following talks with the Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo to save the fragile truce deal.
Hamas said will follow through with the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails as per the timeline outlined in the ceasefire agreement.
The Palestinian group said Monday that it would delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Local Palestinian authorities have listed a series of Israeli violations of the deal, including the shooting of civilians and denying access to relief materials, including tents and caravans for displaced civilians in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened the following day to end the Gaza ceasefire deal and resume military campaign if Hamas failed to release captives by Saturday noon.
The talks in the Egyptian capital focused on the terms of the ceasefire deal “especially with regard to securing housing for our people and urgently bringing in prefabricated houses ‘caravans’, tents, heavy equipment, medical supplies, fuel, and the continued flow of relief and everything stipulated in the agreement,” Hamas said in a statement.
“The discussions were characterized by a positive spirit, and the mediating brothers in Egypt and Qatar confirmed that they would follow up on all of this to remove obstacles and close gaps,” Hamas said in a statement published on Telegram.
“Accordingly, Hamas confirms its continued position to implement the agreement in accordance with what was signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timetable.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli media reported that ‘Israel’ has reportedly sent a message to Hamas through mediators Egypt and Qatar that the ceasefire deal will continue if the group releases three more captives on Saturday.
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since January 19, halting the Israeli war that has killed more than 48,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.
Sixteen Israelis and five Thai workers have so far been released by Hamas in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails under the first phase of the agreement.
The 42-day ceasefire has appeared close to failure this week amid accusations on both sides of violations of the agreement.
Hamas said it did not want the deal to collapse, though it rejected what it called the “language of threats and intimidation” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. They have said the ceasefire should be cancelled if the hostages are not released.
“Accordingly, Hamas reaffirms its commitment to implementing the agreement as signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timeline,” Hamas said in a statement.
Hamas, whose Gaza chief leader Khalil Al-Hayya is visiting Cairo for talks with Egyptian security officials, also said both Egyptian and Qatari mediators would press on with efforts “to remove obstacles and close gaps”.
