Hamas, Israel reaches an agreement on the exchange of prisoners as the Alto El Fuego negotiations progresses

By Palestine Chronicle staff

The American envoy Steve Witkoff announces that an Israeli delegation is negotiating the second phase of the Alto El Fuego de Gaza, amid an advance in the crisis of liberation of Palestinian prisoners.

Steve Witkoff, the president of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in the Middle East, announced on Tuesday that an Israeli delegation has gone to participate in negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza Fire Fire Agreement.

This occurs when the sources told Al-Jazeera that the mediators have negotiated a resolution to the crisis derived from Israel’s failure to free Palestinian prisoners in the last lot.

Shortly before the Witkoff statement, Hamas and Israel reached an agreement ensuring the release of all Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be released last Saturday, in exchange for Hamas delivered the bodies of four Israeli prisoners on Thursday.

Speaking at an event organized by the American Jewish committee in Washington, Witkoff emphasized that the United States is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to intervene if necessary.

“We are making great progress. Israel is sending a team while we talk, ”he said, adding that the delegation will travel to Doha or Cairo for talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.

Witkoff said these discussions aim to advance in the second phase of the agreement and ensure the release of more detained. He indicated that “can” join the negotiations on Sunday, depending on the developments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9a1cSO3xvy

Progress in the release of prisoners

Informed sources confirmed to Al-Jazeera that an agreement has been reached to resolve the dead point on the delayed release of Palestinian prisoners of Israel.

According to the agreement, Israel will release those detainees in coordination with the transfer of Hamas from the agencies of the Israeli prisoners, all Thursday that occurs in a single exchange.

A Declaration of Hamas on Tuesday night described that his delegation had completed the conversations in Cairo with Egyptian officials regarding the implementation of Alto El Fuego, the exchange of prisoners and the next phase of negotiations. The group emphasized its insistence on full adhesion to all provisions of the agreement.

Meanwhile, the Nasser Salah Al-Din brigades, a Palestinian armed group, announced that it will deliver the body of the Israeli captive Ohad Yahalomi on Thursday as part of the first phase agreement.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has faced internal criticism for delaying the release of approximately 620 Palestinian prisoners, although Hamas fulfilled his commitments under the agreement.

With the scheduled delivery of the four bodies of the Israeli prisoners on Thursday, the first phase of the High Fire Agreement will formally conclude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jm3_hp1aue

‘Completely unnecessary’ crisis

The United States headquarters, Axios, cited a senior Israeli official who described the crisis caused by Netanyahu’s decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners as “completely unnecessary.”

Gal Hirsch, Coordinator of Affairs of Israel for the detainees, told Channel 13 Israeli to stop prison launches raises serious risks and possible consequences.

Meanwhile, former Israeli prisoner Noa Argamani urged the complete implementation of the agreement during a speech in the UN Security Council.

The Israeli (Kan) broadcasting authority reported that the families of the detainees require an immediate transition to the second phase of the agreement.

The Committee of Families of Israeli prisoners in Gaza warned that the obstructionism of Netanyahu runs the risk of collapsing the agreement completely, which could trigger more conflicts.

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PECAHAN THE FIRE IN A ENROCUCIJADA

The first phase of the Gaza Cesefire agreement, which began on January 19, consists of three phases of 42 days, each contingent in the negotiations before the current phase concludes.

If no agreement is reached on Friday, officials anticipate a resumption of hostilities or a fragile status, where the fire remains, but the detainees are not returned and Israel potentially restricts the aid to Gaza.

During the first phase, the Palestinian groups released 25 live Israeli prisoners and four bodies in seven lots.

In return, Israel released 1,135 Palestinian detainees, including people who serve to life imprisonment. Tel Aviv estimates that 62 detainees Israeli remain in Gaza, while thousands of Palestinians remain imprisoned in conditions involving torture, starvation and medical negligence, according to reports of the Palestinian and Israeli media.

With the support of the United States, between October 7, 2023 and January 19, 2025, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in more than 160,000 deaths and Palestinian injuries, most of them children and women, while that more than 14,000 people are still missing.

(The Palestine Chronicle)