Extra Hostages to be Released

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed today that all six of the remaining living hostages listed for release in Phase One of the agreement with Hamas will be set free on Saturday 22nd February.

This is in addition to the recent announcement that four dead hostages will be released on Thursday 20th and is a result of ongoing negotiations in Cairo.

Hamas are said to have agreed to this because of wanting early release of Palestinian prisoners who had been re-arrested after their release in 2011 and also wanting heavy engineering equipment to be allowed into the Gaza Strip to progress the clearing of rubble.

Yet there are conflicting reports as to whether heavy equipment has already started moving into the Strip. Some Israeli officials say it will happen if Hamas complies with the agreement, while other reports are emerging that it has already begun entering through the Rafah crossing.

And all of this is taking place against the backdrop of the Israeli Government’s determination to remove Hamas from Gaza and refuse to allow the Palestinian Authority to take over control.

Negotiations over Phase Two of the ceasefire are said to be going ahead, but Israel’s policy looks set towards refusing to end the conflict permanently.

It looks as if the Israeli Government has decided to proceed with these negotiations largely to keep in step with the desires of Donald Trump’s administration in the USA.