Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Israel will begin negotiations on the second phase of the hostage deal, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Tuesday, adding that Israel demanded a complete demilitarization of the enclave.
Sa'ar said that Israel will not support a plan that would see civilian control of Gaza transferred from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority, adding that when it comes to the future of the enclave, the most important thing is a deradicalization policy.
Tuesday also saw IDF forces withdrawing from southern Lebanon in accordance with the cease-fire agreement signed with Hezbollah, except for five strategic positions on the Lebanese side of border. Regarding Lebanon, the foreign minister said that Iran is making huge efforts to restore terror group with financial support, partly in cooperation with Turkey.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Sa'ar comments came after earlier today, a Hamas official told Ynet that six Israeli hostages could be freed on Saturday depending on the 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.
However, 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.
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.