Hamas: Deal reached for ‘simultaneous’ release of 4 slain hostages, 602 Palestinian prisoners

Hamas announces that an agreement has been reached with Israel for the “simultaneous” release of four Israeli hostages’ bodies and 602 Palestinian security prisoners, which would an end to an impasse that risked collapsing the ceasefire agreement before its first phase was even completed.

“An agreement was reached to resolve the issue of the delayed release of Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be freed in the last batch,” Hamas says in a statement. “They will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners agreed upon for transfer during the first phase, in addition to an equivalent number of Palestinian women and children.”

The deal was also confirmed by an Israeli official to The Times of Israel, and another source familiar with the matter said Egypt will be responsible for the swap.

Israel was supposed to release the Palestinian prisoners on Saturday but has been refusing to do so, citing Hamas violations of the deal during the return of the three Bibas family members’ remains as well as the propaganda ceremonies it has been putting on throughout the hostage releases so far in phase one.

Earlier today, the Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Hamas has agreed not to hold such ceremonies during the release of the four slain hostages, but similar assurances were given ahead of the release of the Bibas family and body of Oded Lifshitz that were not upheld, leading Jerusalem to refuse to release the Palestinian prisoners before the hostages are freed.

Hamas says the agreement was reached during meetings that its delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya held in Cairo with Egyptian officials.

“The Hamas leadership delegation reaffirmed its clear position on the need for full and precise adherence to all its terms and stages,” the terror group’s statement adds.