The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said Wednesday that it will hand over the remains of four Israeli captives on Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of prisoners.
“The resistance will hand over the bodies of four Israeli captives on Thursday, in parallel with Israel’s release of the delayed batch of Palestinian prisoners, along with corresponding Palestinian women and children,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told Anadolu.
He confirmed that “clear guarantees” had been secured from mediators and that a new mechanism was agreed upon to ensure Israel fulfills its commitments. However, he did not disclose details of the mechanism.
Abdel Latif al-Qanoua, another Hamas spokesman, said in a statement that the exchange would proceed “under a new mechanism guaranteeing Israel’s compliance.”
“Egyptian mediators have secured this agreement, and we remain committed to completing and enforcing it,” he added.
Following this exchange, all prisoner releases under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement will be completed.
The first phase includes the release of 33 Israeli captives and 1,737 Palestinian prisoners in stages over six weeks.
Israel has refused to release 620 Palestinian prisoners in return for four bodies of Israeli captives on Saturday, citing what it called the “degrading handover ceremonies” of hostages.
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since last month, pausing Israel’s destructive war that has killed nearly 48,350 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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