Hamas ready for second phase talks after fulfilling first part of truce agreement

Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the remaining portion of the first phase of the truce agreement with Israel and is ready to move forward with negotiations for the second phase.

“We, Hamas, are determined to fulfil the remaining part of the first phase and are ready to start negotiations on the second phase,” Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesperson for Hamas, confirmed in an interview with Turkish publication Hürriyet, per Caliber.Az.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has insisted that any post-war plan for Gaza is not possible as long as Hamas remains in power. During meetings in Washington, Netanyahu emphasized that the conflict could only end if Hamas leaders relinquished control. He suggested that if Hamas leaders “go into exile,” it could pave the way for a potential plan for Gaza, which might involve a US takeover of the territory.

In response, US President Donald Trump suggested that Israel could transfer control of Gaza to the US, with the possibility of relocating Palestinians to safer regions in the Middle East.

As part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released three more hostages on February 8. This marks the fifth exchange since the ceasefire began on January 19. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the release of Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, who had been captured during the October 7 Hamas attack that led to the outbreak of the Gaza war. The hostages were transferred to the Red Cross for medical evaluations before being taken to a hospital for further care.

In return, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners. Under the current phase of the truce agreement, Hamas is expected to gradually free 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. To date, Hamas has released 18 hostages, including five Thai nationals who were captured during the October attack. Israel has already freed 383 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.

As per the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli troops have withdrawn from most areas in Gaza, though they remain stationed in border regions. The IDF has warned Palestinians to avoid areas where military operations are ongoing and has previously fired on individuals accused of violating the agreement.

By Tamilla Hasanova