WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to the Middle East this week, he said on Sunday, to push for the extension of a fragile Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The three-stage ceasefire which came into effect on January 19 is now nearing the end of its first phase. It has largely held despite accusations of violations by both sides and a series of setbacks, the latest of which came over the weekend.
“We have to get an extension of phase one. I’ll be going to the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that and we are hopeful that we have the proper time to begin phase two and finish it off and get more hostages released,” Witkoff told CNN’s State of the Union.
Hamas says Gaza truce gravely endangered after Israel’s prisoner delay
The first phase of the ceasefire includes a deal to exchange 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza for almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners held by Israel. The second phase would include a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of around 60 remaining hostages.
The ceasefire agreement hit a new hurdle on Saturday when Israel delayed the release of 602 Palestinians from its jails in exchange for six Israeli hostages who were led by armed militants onto a stage in front of a crowd in Gaza before being handed to the Red Cross.
Hamas-staged public handover ceremonies which have included the display of living hostages and of coffins carrying hostages’ remains, have drawn increasing criticism over the past few weeks, including from the United Nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, Israel was waiting to deliver the Palestinian prisoners and detainees “until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies.”
Hamas said on Sunday the ceremonies were dignified and Israel was using them as a pretext to evade its obligations agreed to under the ceasefire. The bodies of four more hostage are supposed to be released by the group this week.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of war crimes that Israel denies
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