The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed on Tuesday Hamas will release six hostages on Saturday after the terror group said it will also transfer the bodies of four slain hostages from Gaza to Israel on Thursday.
Hamas is still holding six living hostages who are supposed to be released in the first phase. Their families have now been informed they will be released on Saturday, KAN reported.
Families of the kidnapped were informed of the release of the six living hostages on Saturday.
The reason for this was Hamas‘s interest in advancing the release of Palestinian prisoners who had been released in the 2011 deal that saw the release of Gilad Schalit and were since imprisoned again, according to the source.
In addition, if this were to happen, Israel would allow caravans and heavy machinery to enter Gaza.
Later on Tuesday, an Israeli official noted that as part of the framework of the deal, Israel was committed to allowing caravans and heavy engineering equipment into Gaza after following inspection.
The source added that subject to Hamas’s compliance with the deal, Israel would begin to allow the entrance of such tools in a gradual and controlled manner.
Israeli delegation not given authority for second phase talks
An Israeli official told the Post that no heavy machinery had entered Gaza as of Tuesday morning after images of such tools entering Gaza circulated online.
On Monday, the security cabinet meeting ended with no vote or decision regarding the second phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal, granting no authority to the Israeli delegation in Cairo to hold talks on the issue.
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