Rabat – Hamas has once again shown its readiness to advance talks concerning the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The Palestinian group agreed today to hand over the US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander and the bodies of four others holding dual citizenship.
The response came after the group’s negotiating delegation received a proposal from mediators on Thursday.
Hamas official Husam Badran confirmed earlier the group’s determination to implement the terms of the ceasefire agreement in its various stages, warning that the “occupation’s departure from what was agreed will take us back to zero.”
A new round of indirect talks started on Tuesday, focusing on how to proceed to the second phase of the three-phase deal brokered by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, which came to an end on March 1.
Hamas’s response to the mediators’ proposal indicates its willingness to uphold the objective of the ceasefire and respect its terms.
Israel estimates that among the remaining 59 hostages in Gaza, five are Americans, with 24 believed to be alive.
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Meanwhile, over 9,500 Palestinians remain detained in Israeli prisons, many without legitimate charges. Human rights organizations have been sounding the alarm on Israel’s gruesome violations that have led to multiple deaths in detention.
As the indirect talks take place, Israel continues to block entry of humanitarian aid shipments and cut electricity as a means of genocidal war on the devastated Gaza.
Not only that, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continues its assaults targeting civilians using drones, and snipers, killing two Palestinian children in the past 24 hours.
The first phase of the six-week ceasefire has enabled a growing flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and relieved some of the Palestinians’ pain.
Progress towards the second phase paused when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed talks until he met with US President Donald Trump.
The delay in progressing to the next phase of the ceasefire deal is heightening fear and uncertainty, splintering hopes of Gazans to rejoin their peace and rebuild the devastated Gaza.
