The radical Palestinian group "Hamas" announced that its delegation in the Egyptian capital Cairo has reached an agreement with Israel on the stalled first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that came into effect on January 19, by agreeing to the immediate release of over 600 Palestinians from Israeli prisons in exchange for the bodies of four Israeli hostages, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The movement did not specify on which day the exchange will take place, DPA explained. There is currently no official confirmation from the Israeli side.
The Israeli newspaper "Times of Israel" informed that the exchange will take place through Egyptian territory today.
The statement of "Hamas" was published on the social platform "Ex", Reuters reported earlier.
In connection with the delayed release of the Palestinian prisoners in question, the representative of "Hamas" Bassem Naim had stated that in such a situation, no progress could be made in the negotiations.
"We do not rule out the possibility of continuing the current ceasefire, but in exchange for our living hostages, who must return unharmed", said Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharon Haskel yesterday.
If an agreement was not reached by Friday, it was possible to either return to hostilities or freeze the current situation, in which the ceasefire would continue, but the hostages would not return, and Israel would block access to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Reuters notes.
The war in the Gaza Strip broke out on October 7, 2023, when "Hamas" carried out an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israeli territory.
According to Israeli data, nearly 1,200 people were killed at that time, and 251 Israeli citizens were taken prisoner by radical Islamists in the coastal enclave.
According to information provided by the Hamas Health Ministry, over 48,000 Palestinians died in the subsequent Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The ceasefire, which came into effect on January 19, is six weeks long.