Egypt Daily News – Delegations from Israel and Qatar arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Thursday to resume negotiations regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, with the participation of representatives from the United States.
The Egyptian State Information Service stated in a press release that “the concerned parties have begun intensive discussions to address the next phases of the truce agreement, amid ongoing efforts to ensure the implementation of the agreed-upon understandings.”
The statement added, “Mediators are also exploring ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region.”
On Thursday, the Palestinian movement Hamas affirmed its commitment to the Gaza ceasefire agreement and its readiness to begin talks on the second phase. It noted that Israel had released 600 Palestinian detainees, including women and children, and that Israel’s attempts to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners had failed.
On Thursday, Israel received the bodies of four Israeli captives who had been held by Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Israel began the process of releasing Palestinian prisoners, whose release had been delayed since last Saturday, as part of completing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, a bus carrying a group of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank early Thursday morning, where a crowd of celebrants awaited them.
Last Saturday, Hamas released the final batch of living detainees from the first phase. However, Israel did not release approximately 600 Palestinian prisoners who were scheduled to be freed on the same day, citing what it called “humiliating ceremonies” that accompanied the release of detainees in the Gaza Strip.
It is worth noting that after months of intensive negotiations in the capitals of Cairo and Doha, with the participation of representatives from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, mediation efforts succeeded in pushing both the Israeli side and the Palestinian Hamas movement to reach a ceasefire agreement.
Hamas had stated that “negotiations for the second phase have not yet begun, and communications with mediators are ongoing,” emphasizing that “ensuring the completion of upcoming exchange operations depends on the occupation’s commitment to the remaining terms of the agreement and the implementation of the humanitarian protocol.”
