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A Hamas official six Israeli hostages would be freed on Saturday. The official told Ynet that the decision depends on what price Israel was willing to pay. "Our demand now is that Israel enters phase two negotiations and commits to the humanitarian protocol including caravans and heavy machinery into the Strip." According to the official the commitment must come from the Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
But the security cabinet in its meeting late on Monday, decided to concentrate on completing the first phase of the cease-fire and hostage release deal and not to mandate the Israeli delegation to the negotiations to move toward the second phase because there is no agreement among ministers regarding an end to the war.
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Heavy equipment heads for Gaza
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Armed Hamas terrorists during a hostage release last Saturday
(Photo: Bashar Taleb / AFP)
The delegation was given a "general mandate" to prevent the first phase from being disrupted. Israel is seeking a weeks-long extension of the phase.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday at a press conference that negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza have not yet officially begun. "We will implement the terms of the first phase in order to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement," he said but added that there is a positive atmosphere regarding the second phase of the agreement.
Arab media reported that heavy equipment began moving from Egypt toward the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza. They are meant to be used to remove rubble and open roads. Egyptian media said the heavy machinery was destined for the rebuilding of Gaza and would enter the Strip through the Rafah crossing. Israel has not confirmed the reports.
Hamas was expected to transfer the remains of four dead hostages on Thursday, through the Red Cross. At least three live hostages are to be released on Saturday but Israel has sought to increase that number to six.
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Families of hostages demand the release of all captives as they mark 500 days since Oct. 7 massacre
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
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Families of hostages demand the release of all captives as they mark 500 days since Oct. 7 massacre
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
In exchange Israel would allow caravans in, that could house Gaza residents whose homes were destroyed in the war.
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According to the cease-fire agreement, phase one ends on the 42nd day of the deal but as long as negotiations on the next phase are ongoing, the fighting will not resume. On day 50, Israel has committed to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor.
It is unclear, therefore, why Hamas would want to release hostages after day 42. Families of hostages said their fear was that the cease-fire deal would be broken, the war would resume and dozens of hostages would be left behind.