{"id":16430,"date":"2025-02-13T12:31:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T12:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/13\/hamas-says-it-will-free-three-more-israeli-hostages-as-planned-national\/"},"modified":"2025-02-13T12:31:01","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T12:31:01","slug":"hamas-says-it-will-free-three-more-israeli-hostages-as-planned-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/13\/hamas-says-it-will-free-three-more-israeli-hostages-as-planned-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamas says it will free three more Israeli hostages as planned – National"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Hamas<\/a> said Thursday it would release three more Israeli<\/a> hostages as planned, paving the way toward resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hamas had threatened to delay the next release of captives, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce. Israel, with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, had threatened to renew its offensive if hostages were not freed.<\/p>\n

There was no immediate comment from Israel on Hamas\u2019 announcement, but it should allow the ceasefire to continue for now, though the future of the truce remains in doubt.<\/p>\n

Hamas said its delegation held talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials and was in contact with Qatar\u2019s prime minister about bringing into Gaza more shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for clearing rubble \u2014 its key demand in recent days. It said in a statement that the mediators had pledged to \u201cremove all hurdles.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Shortly after the announcement, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou confirmed to The Associated Press by phone that three hostages will be released on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s state-run Qahera TV, which is close to the country\u2019s security services, reported that Egypt and Qatar had succeeded in resolving the dispute. The two Arab countries have served as key mediators with Hamas and helped broker the ceasefire, which took effect in January, more than 15 months into the war.<\/p>\n

Egyptian media also aired footage showing trucks carrying temporary housing and bulldozers on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza. They reported that the trucks were heading to an Israeli inspection area before crossing into Gaza.<\/p>\n

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The truce faces a much bigger challenge in the coming weeks. The first phase is set to conclude at the beginning of March, and there have not yet been substantive negotiations over the second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an end to the war.<\/p>\n

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Trump\u2019s proposal to remove some 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them in other countries has thrown the truce\u2019s future into further doubt. The plan has been welcomed by Israel but vehemently rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries, which have refused to accept any influx of refugees. Human rights groups say it could amount to a war crime under international law.<\/p>\n

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s far-right allies are already calling for a resumption of the war after the first phase with the goal of implementing Trump\u2019s plan and annihilating Hamas, which remains in control of the territory after surviving one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.<\/p>\n

The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. More than half have been released in deals with Hamas or other agreements, eight have been rescued and dozens of bodies have been recovered.<\/p>\n

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The captives are among the only bargaining chips Hamas has left, and it may be difficult to get the group to commit to further releases if it believes the war will resume.<\/p>\n

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Trump has given mixed signals about what he wants to see in Gaza.<\/p>\n

He took credit for brokering the ceasefire, which was reached days before he took office after more than a year of negotiations under the Biden administration. But he has also expressed misgivings about how the agreement is unfolding and says it\u2019s up to Israel whether to resume the war or not, while pledging continued U.S. military support.<\/p>\n