Former Israeli hostages in Gaza accuse Netanyahu of procrastination and demand that he completes the exchange deal with Hamas
Israeli prisoners released by the Hamas’ al Qassam Brigades from the Gaza Strip sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding that he implement the prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian factions without delay or procrastination.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported on Friday that the former prisoners stressed in their letter the need to implement the agreement in full.
The Israeli hostages said in their letter: “Implement it without procrastination or delay… Every minute in Gaza is hell for those still detained there”ز
For its part, Haaretz reported that 56 Israeli prisoners released by Hamas signed the letter, demanding that Netanyahu’s government not tamper with the stages of the deal and complete it as agreed upon.
On Friday, the al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, published a video of the Israeli hostage held by it, Matan Angrest, in which he said that the only way for the prisoners to return to Israel is through an exchange deal and moving to the second phase of it, calling on US President Donald Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has evaded the second phase of returning the prisoners.
Earlier on Friday, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the political leadership in Israel directed the army to prepare immediately to resume the war on the Gaza Strip, amid the stalemate facing the negotiations.
On Thursday, the new Israeli Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, threatened to resume the aggression on Gaza, despite the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19, amid Israeli estimates that 22 of the 24 Israeli prisoners in Gaza are still alive, along with the bodies of 35 others, according to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which began on January 19, was reached through Egyptian and Qatari mediation and US support, and stipulates three stages, each lasting 42 days, but Israel refused to move to the second stage after the first stage ended, last week.
Netanyahu, backed by US cover, wants to extend the first phase for the longest possible period, with the aim of releasing the largest possible number of Israeli prisoners without offering anything in return or committing to the military and humanitarian entitlements stipulated in the agreement.
This is rejected by Hamas, which confirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the terms of the deal, and called on the mediators to take immediate action to force Israel to commit to the second phase, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and a final cessation of aggression.
