Israel has agreed to release Palestinian prisoners who were due to be freed last week in exchange for the bodies of four Israeli hostages, Egyptian state-linked media reported, as Washington’s top Middle East envoy said talks for a second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal remained on track, AFP reports.
Hamas late on Tuesday confirmed the release agreement, negotiated under Egyptian supervision.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump’s point person on the Middle East said Israeli representatives were already en route to talks on the next phase of the ceasefire deal.
“We’re making a lot of progress. Israel is sending a team right now as we speak,” Steve Witkoff told an event for the American Jewish Committee.
“It’s either going to be in Doha or in Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and the Qataris,” he said.
Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians in West Bank’s Tulkarem
Israeli soldiers have arrested five Palestinians from the town of Bal’a, located east of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reports.
They were taken by occupation forces after their homes in different neighbourhoods of the town were raided at dawn, according to the Wafa news agency.
Early reports suggest a number of Palestinians were also arrested during a new overnight raid on Qalqiliya.
