Hamas does not agree with the extension of the first phase of the truce and stresses that hostage release will be based on the stages of the agreement
Hamas will not agree to extend the first phase of the Gaza Truce Agreement, as the Israeli government demanded, Hamas said today.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mahmoud Mardaui stressed that Hamas would release the rest of the Israeli hostages only in accordance with the terms of the agreed agreement.
The truce between Hamas and Israel came into force on January 19th after 15 months of bloody war, a trigger for which the unprecedented attack of the Palestinian organization against Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
The agreement provides for three phases of 42 days each.
During the first phase, the Palestinian organization liberated 25 hostages in Gaza and returned eight hostages to Israel, in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase of this fragile truce should normally start today. This would be released by Hamas’ last hostages and many hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
The third phase will be dedicated to rebuilding the Gaza Strip, with the UN assessing more than $ 53 billion the cost of this project.
The agreement contains an article that provides for the automatic extension of the first phase for as long as the talks for the latter last.
Israel wishes to extend the first phase of the truce until mid -April, while Hamas requires the start of the second phase.
Source :Skai
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