CAIRO: Hamas said on Friday that he had agreed to release an American-Israeli national double, which would be the last American hostage living in Gaza, after having received a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a cease-fire contract.
Hamas said in a statement that he replied “positively” to the proposal that was presented on Thursday to resume negotiations. He will also release the bodies of four other dual nationality hostages, he said without giving more details.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The meetings between the leaders of Hamas and the American hostage negotiator Adam Boehler, in recent days, have asked for the release of Edan Alexander, a 21 -year -old man from New Jersey, who was a soldier of the Israeli army.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told journalists in the White House in early March that the Liberation of Alexander was “absolute priority”.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have tried to fill the differences between Hamas and Israel to restart negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in order to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza and to facilitate the entry of aid into the enclave torn by the war.
Israel blocked the entrance to assistance trucks to Gaza on March 2 while confrontation on the truce has intensified, Hamas calling on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.
The fights in Gaza have been interrupted since January 19 in the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire agreement. Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The second phase implies discussions on an agreement for the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave. Israel demands that Hamas release the remaining hostages without starting phase two negotiations.
Hamas said on Friday that he had agreed to release an American-Israeli national double, which would be the last American hostage living in Gaza, after having received a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a cease-fire contract.
Hamas said in a statement that he replied “positively” to the proposal that was presented on Thursday to resume negotiations. He will also release the bodies of four other dual nationality hostages, he said without giving more details.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The meetings between the leaders of Hamas and the American hostage negotiator Adam Boehler, in recent days, have asked for the release of Edan Alexander, a 21 -year -old man from New Jersey, who was a soldier of the Israeli army.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told journalists in the White House in early March that the Liberation of Alexander was “absolute priority”.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have tried to fill the differences between Hamas and Israel to restart negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in order to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza and to facilitate the entry of aid into the enclave torn by the war.
Israel blocked the entrance to assistance trucks to Gaza on March 2 while confrontation on the truce has intensified, Hamas calling on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.
The fights in Gaza have been interrupted since January 19 in the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire agreement. Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The second phase implies discussions on an agreement for the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave. Israel demands that Hamas release the remaining hostages without starting phase two negotiations.
