Israel reportedly expected Hamas to release a list of captives on Friday, ahead of their scheduled release on Saturday.
An Israeli negotiating team will travel to Qatar on Saturday to restart talks with the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas on a ceasefire and captive exchange deal.
Citing Israel’s public broadcaster, the Anadolu news agency reported that the delegation was composed of officials from Shin Bet and Mossad.
They have been instructed by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to finalize the first phase of the deal and begin discussions on the second phase, the report noted.
Israel will send a delegation to Qatar this weekend to discuss the next phase of a ceasefire and detainee exchange agreement in Gaza, as Netanyahu extends his US visit for further meetings.https://t.co/fbpi7SJwgH pic.twitter.com/e0dw1Kx9sC
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 4, 2025
Israel expected the Palestinian resistance movement to release a list of captives on Friday, ahead of their scheduled release on Saturday, the report added.
Officials in Israel, however, have expressed concerns that recent statements by US President Donald Trump on a plan to “take over” Gaza and forcibly relocate Palestinians could jeopardize negotiations, Anadolu reported.
Talks Earlier Delayed
Trump has repeatedly suggested since January 25 that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan – an idea rejected by those Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
Talks on implementing the second phase of the deal were initially set to begin on Monday but were delayed.
‘Worrying Sign’ – Netanyahu Delays Ceasefire Talks until after Trump Meeting
According to Anadolu, the Haaretz newspaper quoted an unnamed source from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s entourage in Washington who indicated that the Israeli leader would not proceed with the second phase unless Hamas was eliminated.
Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to be invited by Trump to visit the White House since his inauguration. The Israeli leader described the invitation as a “testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance.”
A ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19 in Gaza, bringing to a halt Israel’s genocidal assault on the enclave that has killed nearly 47,600 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Test of Commitment
Israeli Channel 12 reported that a state of anticipation is prevailing in Israel for fear that Hamas will not provide the list of detainees scheduled to be released on Saturday, according to the Al Jazeera Arabic news website.
The channel indicated that Israel believed that Hamas submitting the names will be a test of its commitment to the ceasefire agreement after Trump’s statements on Tuesday regarding control of the Gaza Strip and displacement of its residents.
‘Law of the Jungle’ – Hamas Urges Trump to Retract ‘Irresponsible Remarks’
The Israeli channel indicated that the occupation army will completely leave the Netzarim axis next Sunday morning as soon as the fifth installment of the exchange is implemented, reported Al Jazeera.
For its part, the Israeli Maariv newspaper revealed that the Israeli Security and Political Council will meet next Tuesday to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire will be implemented in three phases.
Under the first phase – lasting six weeks – 33 Israeli prisoners held in Gaza were to be released in exchange for 737 Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
The second phase is expected to facilitate the release of the remaining Israeli detainees, while the third and final stage will focus on Gaza’s reconstruction and the return of the remains of Israeli captives who died in custody.
(PC, Anadolu, AJA)
