Will release Israeli hostages as planned, says Hamas

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday said it would continue to implement its ceasefire agreement with Tel Aviv in Gaza and release the next group of Israeli hostages as planned, AP reported.

Hamas added that Egypt and Qatar – who have been mediating talks with the help of the United States – had said they would work to “remove all hurdles”.

Three more Israeli hostages are scheduled to be freed on Saturday as per the ceasefire agreement.

Israel’s military offensive against Gaza began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing 1,200 persons and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, killing more than 62,000 persons, including over 17,400 children. About 400 Israeli soldiers have died in the conflict.

On January 19, the first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire began, involving the exchange of 33 hostages for hundreds of Palestinian detainees in Israel. While Hamas has so far released 16 Israeli hostages, 566 Palestinian prisoners have been freed.

Some of the hostages were released in November 2023 as part of a brief ceasefire deal, while some were killed as a result of the war.

The Palestinian militant group had said on Monday that it would delay the release of hostages as Israel was…

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