Feb. 13 (UPI) — Hamas said Thursday it would resume releasing hostages in line with the original timetable agreed in the cease-fire with Israel three days after triggering a crisis by announcing it was suspending releases, accusing Israel of violating the agreement.
The breakthrough came after Egyptian and Qatari mediators meeting in Cairo committed to do whatever it took to deal with the issues separating the two sides and resolve the impasse, according to the militant group.
“Hamas confirms its continued position to implement the deal according to what was signed, which includes exchanging prisoners according to the specified timetable,” Hamas said in a statement.
Egypt and Qatar promised to work to “remove obstacles and fill gaps” in the talks that Hamas said were characterized by a can-do attitude.
The statement reiterated Hamas’ areas of concern regarding the provision of the agreement on humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, specifically equipment to meet the urgent need for shelter, including caravans, tents, heavy construction machinery, as well as medicine and fuel.
Israel, which warned Wednesday that the cease-fire would be over and it would resume “intense fighting” that would see Hamas “decisively defeated” unless the hostages were released Saturday, has yet to officially respond.
However, the Times of Israel reported that Israel had communicated to Hamas via Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it would keep to the cease-fire provided the group frees three more hostages Saturday, as per their previously agreed schedule.
So far, 21 hostages, including five Thai nationals, have been freed in five releases in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians since the cease-fire deal came into effect Jan. 19, with the help of then-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who pushed hard to get it over the line.
The agreement calls for 33 Israeli hostages to be released during the first 42-day phase of the deal, which has around three weeks to run before transitioning to an as yet to be tied down the second phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington for talks with Trump on the second phase last week but the visit threw the whole process into doubt after Trump called for the United States to take control of Gaza and clear out the Palestinians to make way for reconstruction.
Trump weighed in again Tuesday after Hamas said it was halting releases of hostages, urging Israel to terminate the cease-fire deal with Hamas and “let all hell break out” if all the remaining hostages being held in Gaza were not freed by Saturday.
Two children, a woman and 14 men still remain to be released before phase 1 ends on the morning of March. 2.
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