Israeli cabinet set to discuss second phase of deal
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The Israeli security cabinet is set to meet to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the exchange deal, amid political turmoil among Israeli officials.
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Palestinians gather as Hamas fighters escort Red Cross vehicles before handing over the three Israeli captives Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on February 8, 2025. (AP)
Israeli radio station Makan reported that the security cabinet will meet to discuss the second phase of the exchange deal on Tuesday or Thursday, 21 days after the deal’s implementation began, though negotiations were originally scheduled to start on the 16th day.
Israeli officials had said discussions would resume after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US envoy Steve Witkoff and coordination with Washington, but these were delayed until Netanyahu returned from Washington and a cabinet meeting took place.
In a radio interview, Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kish avoided addressing the reasons for the delay, emphasizing that the priority was recovering the captives and stating that "the second stage depends on ending Hamas rule in Gaza."
Meanwhile, media reports suggest Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich plans to oppose granting a mandate for the second phase discussion. It’s expected that Netanyahu will attempt to convince the cabinet that political shifts in the US require a review of the deal, including US guarantees to support the goal of "eliminating Hamas rule" in Gaza.
The Palestinian Resistance released on Saturday three Israeli prisoners as part of the fifth batch of prisoner exchange within the framework of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. In return, the occupation released 183 Palestinian prisoners.
As per the terms of the agreement, the Palestinian Resistance released captives Eliyahu Datsun Yosef Sharabi, Or Avraham Lisha Levyi, and Ohad Ben Ami.
In exchange for the three Israeli prisoners, the Israeli occupation freed 18 prisoners serving life sentences, 54 prisoners with long sentences, and 111 prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were detained after October 7, 2023.
