The swap crisis between Israel and Hamas is being resolved. Hamas has made a statement of commitment to the agreement. It was reported that it will continue to implement the agreement, including the prisoner swap, upon the commitment of the mediator countries. It is also stated that Israel has conveyed a message to Hamas through the mediators. Under these conditions, Hamas is expected to release three hostages on Saturday.
The crisis that brought the agreement that silenced the guns in Gaza to the brink of collapse has been resolved. The messages given at the beginning of the week that the agreement, which included a ceasefire and swap, would collapse have been replaced by a positive atmosphere. Hamas made a statement of commitment to the agreement. In a statement made by Hamas, it was emphasized that the mediator countries Egypt and Qatar were working to eliminate the gaps in the Gaza agreement and had pledged to remove the obstacles. In this context, it was stated that the implementation of the agreement would continue and that action would be taken “according to the determined timetable, including the prisoner exchange.” According to the Israeli press, Israel sent a message to Hamas through Egypt and Qatar.
HAMAS WILL RETURN THREE HOSTAGES It was conveyed that the agreement would continue if Hamas released three more hostages on Saturday. Hamas had announced at the beginning of the week that it was suspending the release of the hostages due to Israel’s violations of the agreement. Since then, the mediator countries have been racing against time to save the fragile agreement in Gaza. The Hamas delegation, which held contacts in Cairo, held meetings with officials responsible for the negotiation file in Egypt and Qatar and with the technical teams of the mediators who are monitoring the implementation of all aspects of the agreement.
THREATS FROM ISRAEL AND THE US Threats to Hamas came from Israel and the United States during this process. US President Donald Trump gave a deadline of Saturday, while the Israeli Defense Minister said, “If the hostages are not released, the Gates of Hell will be opened.” In the first phase of the agreement, which has lasted five rounds so far, 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages held by Hamas were released. In return, 766 Palestinian prisoners, including those sentenced to life imprisonment, were freed. In the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, a total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed, in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
