Hamas group said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with Israel on releasing Palestinian prisoners supposed to be freed on Saturday as a part of a ceasefire agreement.
In a statement, Hamas said its delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, met with Egyptian officials to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement as well as preparations for the next phase of negotiations.
The group emphasized the need for full and precise adherence to all terms of the deal.
Hamas added that a solution has been reached ensuring that the release of Palestinian prisoners would occur simultaneously with the handover of Israeli remains, as previously agreed to under the first phase of the deal, along with additional Palestinian women and children detainees.
An Israeli official confirmed late Tuesday that an understanding had been reached with Hamas to resolve the delay in releasing Palestinian prisoners.
“The Egyptian mediation has succeeded…An agreement was reached to resolve the issue of the delayed release of Palestinian prisoners,” the unnamed official told Israel's Channel 13.
“If there are no last-minute changes, the remains of four Israeli hostages will be returned Wednesday night without a formal ceremony, and Palestinian prisoners will be released gradually from Israeli prisons,” the official added.
The first phase of the ceasefire deal in Gaza began on Jan. 19, spanning three stages, each lasting 42 days, with negotiations for the next phase required before the completion of the current one.
As part of this phase, which involves the release of 33 Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—Palestinian resistance factions have already freed 25 living captives and four deceased individuals in seven separate batches.
Israel has delayed the release of around 620 Palestinian prisoners, despite Hamas fulfilling its commitments under the agreement.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following a discussion with several ministers, decided against releasing the Palestinian prisoners, contradicting the recommendation of Israeli security officials.
Netanyahu's office claimed the decision was a response to Hamas violations, citing ceremonies held for six released prisoners last Saturday. Hamas dismissed the accusation as baseless, calling it a pretext to evade Israel’s commitments under the deal.
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since last month, pausing the Israeli war, which has killed nearly 48,350 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-of...
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in what Israeli media described as a “pilot operation,” marking the first opening of...
Iran will treat the armies of European Union member states as “terrorist groups” in retaliation for the EU’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic R...
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has arrived in China for an official visit, where he is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may be able to reach a deal with Cuba, days after he threatened tariffs on any country supplying the islan...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 30th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A clock in a Tel Aviv square that became a rallying point for Israelis demanding the release of hostages taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack was turned off on Tuesday, 844 days after it began counting their captivity.
Israel has recovered the remains of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, the military said on Monday, fulfilling a key condition of the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory.
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage in the territory, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
Catherine O’Hara, the celebrated Canadian actress and comedy legend, has died at the age of 71, her publicist confirmed on Friday. She passed away at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday made public more than three million pages of documents on Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, including investigative records referencing Donald Trump, tech mogul Elon Musk and Britain’s former Duke of York, Prince Andrew.
The United Nations faces the risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions, including substantial arrears from the United States, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.
Vladimir Putin said Russia earned more than $15 billion from defence exports in 2025 and fulfilled all military-technical contracts despite what he described as growing pressure from Western countries.
Explosions shook parts of southern Lebanon on Friday night as Israeli strikes rippled across the Zahrani district, with the blasts travelling toward the coastal city of Sidon.
Iran will treat the armies of European Union member states as “terrorist groups” in retaliation for the EU’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday.
A call has been made to parliaments worldwide in connection with the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), urging stronger legislative engagement in advancing resilient cities and sustainable urban development.
A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Asaluyeh in southern Iran on Sunday morning, according to state media.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 31 January, as both sides exchanged views on regional tensions and the future of their cooperation.
Four people were killed in a gas explosion on Saturday in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz near the Iraqi border, while a separate blast in the port city of Bandar Abbas left one person dead and at least 14 others injured, Iranian media reported.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment