Six Israeli captives to be released: Hamas says it shows group is committed to ceasefire
By Staff Reporter
Hamas proposes exchanging all Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners in “one go” during the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, with the aim of reaching a permanent truce and a full Israeli pullout.
The Palestinian group also confirms it will release the remaining six living captives, who were set to be freed in the first phase, on Saturday, as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says negotiations for the second stage of the deal “will happen this week”.
In Lebanon, rescuers have recovered the bodies of 23 people after Israeli troops withdrew partially from the southern villages and towns as a deadline for a full pullout expired.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has confirmed 48,291 Palestinian deaths in Israel’s war on Gaza, while 111,722 people have been wounded. The Government Media Office updated its death toll to at least 61,709 people, saying thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble are now presumed dead.
At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and more than 200 were taken captive.
