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.
Hundreds of Palestinians have staged rare protests in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the war and expressing anger at Hamas amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
An Israeli airstrike hit Gaza's Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing at least five and wounding several others, according to medics.
An Israeli strike in southern Gaza killed Hamas official Salah al-Bardaweel and his wife, as violence escalates following the collapse of a ceasefire.
Tensions rise as Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv since Israel renews its Gaza ground campaign.
The United Nations, European Union and other regional states in the middle east have reacted to Israel’s renewed bombardment of the Gaza strip after a two month ceasefire.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres responds to discussions on a potential temporary administration in Ukraine, reaffirming the presence of a legitimate government and clarifying the UN’s role in mediation efforts.
Suicide bomber targets a political protest rally in Balochistan, Pakistan. No civilian casualties reported; the attacker was killed.
The Norwegian Government has decided to provide a total of NOK 3 billion in humanitarian support to Ukraine and to the refugee response in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries in 2025.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
A devastating overnight drone attack on Kyiv, attributed to Russian forces, resulted in the deaths of three people, including a five-year-old child, and left ten others injured.
The "Colonialism: Erasure of Religious and National Identity" conference in Baku gathers leaders of independence movements and political prisoners' families to discuss the suppression of identity under colonial rule, global anti-colonial movements, and reparations.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia hosted the presentation of the Armenian translation of the book by Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, titled "The Power of Negotiations: Principles and Rules of Political and Diplomatic Negotiations."
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing more than 1,644 people and leaving 2,300 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres responds to discussions on a potential temporary administration in Ukraine, reaffirming the presence of a legitimate government and clarifying the UN’s role in mediation efforts.
Suicide bomber targets a political protest rally in Balochistan, Pakistan. No civilian casualties reported; the attacker was killed.
The Norwegian Government has decided to provide a total of NOK 3 billion in humanitarian support to Ukraine and to the refugee response in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries in 2025.
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