Hamas and Israel: Hostage Exchanges and Ceasefire Prospects

Return of Bodies and Release of Israeli Hostages

On Tuesday, February 18, Hamas announced that it would return the bodies of four hostages, including members of the Bibas family, to Israel on Thursday, February 20, in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners. This decision is part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since January 19, following indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement. The bodies of the deceased hostages will be handed over on Thursday, and on Saturday, Israel will release six living Israeli hostages. This latest exchange marks a key step in the implementation of the ceasefire, which also includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

Additionally, Hamas indicated that four other deceased hostages would be returned to Israel next week, and discussions are underway to facilitate the release of more Israeli hostages before the end of the week. This process is part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which is set to conclude on March 1.

Ceasefire Prospects and Regional Tensions

Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are scheduled to begin this week, after a delay of more than 15 days. Israel has made it clear that it will not tolerate the persistent presence of Hamas or any other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip. The talks will focus on the conditions for the next phase, which is expected to begin on March 2.

Meanwhile, an extraordinary summit of the Arab League, initially scheduled for the end of February, has been postponed to March 4. This summit was meant to respond to Donald Trump’s proposal to place Gaza under U.S. control and relocate its population to Egypt and Jordan. Saudi Arabia will also host leaders from several Arab countries this week to discuss an alternative proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Finally, in Lebanon, authorities have expressed outrage over the Israeli military presence in the southern part of the country, calling it an “occupation.” The Israeli withdrawal, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement, has not been respected. Beirut has announced that it will take the matter to the UN Security Council to demand the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces, emphasizing that the Lebanese army is prepared to defend the border.