In the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages.
Two Palestinian sources close to Hamas-led negotiations for a truce in the Gaza Strip said Tuesday l’AFP that around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners should be released in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, in exchange for 33 hostages.
1,000 prisoners soon released
“Israel will release around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including several sentenced to heavy sentences,” said one of two sources within the Palestinian Islamist movement.
“Several hundred terrorists will be released but I cannot give figures because it depends on the number of people alive in the 33 on the list” hostages, said an Israeli government official regarding the first phase of the truce currently under discussion.
In good shape
After months of failed attempts to secure a truce in Gaza between Hamas and Israel accompanied by an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, mediation efforts by Egypt, the United States and Qatar now appear ‘today is well on its way to success.
“There has been real progress over the last two days,” the Israeli official said: “This time we can hope for good news, we are close to the goal, but not there yet.”
Israel will not leave “no Gaza until all the hostages have returned, the living and the dead”, he added, specifying that it was not a question of a definitive ceasefire, but a temporary one.
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