Israel to begin negotiations on second phase of Gaza ceasefire with Hamas

Israel to begin negotiations on second phase of Gaza ceasefire with Hamas

Jerusalem, February 18: Israel will begin negotiations with Hamas on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire next week, announced the country's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, he said, "It will start this week."

The talks for the second phase were initially scheduled to begin on February 2, but under the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the discussions have not yet officially started. Saar stated that after the first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on January 19, Israel had been sending mixed signals regarding its engagement in the negotiations.

In the first phase, 33 Israeli hostages were released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. However, the upcoming phase of negotiations is expected to be difficult, as there are major gaps regarding the post-war administration of Gaza and the future presence of Hamas.

Saar further stated, "We will not accept the presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organization in Gaza." However, he added that if the negotiations are constructive, Israel may consider extending the timeframe of the first phase of the ceasefire. "If we see that there is constructive dialogue and there is a possible path towards reaching an agreement, we will extend the timeframe," he said.