Hamas has backed down from suspending the Israeli hostage deal, agreeing to proceed with the plan as previously stated. The organisation claims that Egyptian and Qatari mediators have removed all hurdles, paving the way for the release of three Israeli hostages in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.
The decision reverses a statement made by Hamas on Tuesday, which cited alleged Israeli violations of the deal. This move has been welcomed by officials in Israel, who had been concerned that the deal might fall through due to Hamas’s initial suspension.
According to reports, Israel had communicated to Hamas that it would accept three hostages, as per the original agreement. However, Benjamin Netanyahu’s formal statement on the matter was ambiguous, leaving room for speculation about whether Israel would accept all of the hostages or just a portion.
The crisis appears to have been caused by disagreements between Hamas leadership in Qatar and the Gaza leadership over issues such as humanitarian aid and negotiations on phase two of the deal. The temporary standstill had also been seen as a response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to displace the Palestinian population of Gaza and redevelop the strip.
The agreement’s mediators have reaffirmed their commitment to implementing its humanitarian provisions, including allowing trucks carrying mobile homes and earth-moving equipment into Gaza. As per previous rounds of hostage releases, Hamas will provide mediators with the names of the three hostages to be released on Friday afternoon.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/hamas-backs-down-over-hostage-121819789.html