Hamas: “Ready for Second Phase of the Agreement”
The second phase involves the release of all hostages and should lead to the establishment of a permanent ceasefire
With the release of six new hostages by Hamas on February 22, the first phase of the agreement between the Islamist organization and Israel is nearing completion. In return, Israel will release a Hamas leader, Salama Katkawi, and 602 other prisoners.
This completes the release of the 33 surviving hostages envisaged in the first phase of the agreement. The parties expedited the process and completed the exchange a few days ahead of schedule – the last release was originally scheduled for March 1.
A decisive moment is coming – the beginning of the second phase of the truce.
Hamas has announced its readiness to move to phase two and further accelerate the hostage and prisoner exchange process. The group said it intends to launch a “global exchange process,” which they said should lead to a “permanent ceasefire and full IDF withdrawal from Gaza.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed joyful sentiments over the latest hostage release in an address quoted by Agenzia Nova: “Everyone is returning from the depths of hell to the beloved families who fought desperately for their loved ones to come home.” Herzog emphasized the need to start the second phase of the agreement as soon as possible: “Full implementation of the hostage release agreement is a human, moral, and Jewish duty. As the hostages who have returned in recent weeks testify, their ‘humanitarian’ condition requires us to act immediately to bring each of them home.”