Israel will begin negotiations this week on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Tuesday, as Hamas prepares to release more hostages, including the bodies of two children from the Bibas family.
Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas leader in Gaza, said four deceased hostages would be returned Thursday, followed by six living captives on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the arrangement but withheld names pending identification of remains.
“We will not accept the continued presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organization in Gaza,” Saar told reporters in Jerusalem, adding that Israel would extend the ceasefire if negotiations showed promise. “If we will see there is a constructive dialogue with a possible horizon of getting to an agreement, we will make this time-frame work longer.”
The Bibas family, whose infant son Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel became symbols of the hostage crisis, issued a statement saying they were “in turmoil” following Hamas’ announcement. “Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over,” the family said. Hamas claimed in late 2023 that the children and their mother Shiri had died in Israeli bombardments, but Israel has not confirmed their deaths.
The six living hostages scheduled for release Saturday include Eliyah Cohen, 27, Tal Shoham, 40, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23, all captured during the October 7 attack. Two others – Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, and Avera Mengistu, 39 – entered Gaza independently about a decade ago.
The initial 42-day truce, which began January 19, has largely held despite setbacks. So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. If this week’s transfers proceed as planned, four more hostages believed to be deceased would remain in Gaza.
An Israeli official said the government will begin allowing mobile homes into Gaza for Palestinians displaced by 15 months of bombardment that has killed more than 48,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials. Hamas had threatened to delay hostage releases until this humanitarian issue was resolved.
The ceasefire negotiations continue against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestion that Palestinians be relocated and Gaza developed as a waterfront property under American control. Arab states and Western allies have rejected the proposal as tantamount to ethnic cleansing.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Monday he would establish a ministry unit dedicated to helping Gaza residents who wish to relocate to third countries.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.
