Gaza - Saba:
Hamas member Khalil al-Hayya announced on Tuesday evening that the movement and the resistance decided to hand over four bodies of the Zionist enemy prisoners next Thursday and six living prisoners next Saturday, in exchange for the release of the equivalent Palestinian prisoners.
Al-Hayya said in a videotaped speech broadcast by al-Aqsa TV: "The movement and the resistance decided to hand over four bodies of the occupation prisoners on Thursday, February 20, including the bodies of the Bibas family, so that the enemy will release on Saturday, February 22, those of our prisoners it will meet according to the agreement, while the delivery of the remaining bodies agreed upon in the first phase will be completed in the sixth week."
He added, "We also decided to release on Saturday, February 22, the remaining living prisoners of the occupation, who were agreed to be released in the first phase, and their number is six, including the prisoners: Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, provided that the enemy releases those of our prisoners who meet them according to the agreement."
Al-Hayya expressed Hamas's and the resistance's readiness to immediately engage in negotiations to implement the terms of the second phase, the first of which is a complete ceasefire and achieving sustainable calm, the second is the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the third is completing a prisoner exchange deal for the second phase at once."
He added, "We are ready to agree on this in one package."
Al-Hayya continued, "We are still working day and night, in all directions, and with mediators, especially: Qatar and Egypt, to oblige the occupation to what was agreed upon in the first phase, especially with regard to relief and shelter materials, heavy equipment, fuel and electricity alternatives, travel through the crossing back and forth, and fishing at sea; to alleviate the suffering of our people and establish them in their land."
He explained that the decision of the movement and the resistance "comes as a continuation of our continuous efforts to make the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with the enemy a success, and in preparation for engaging in the second phase, and in response to the efforts of the mediators."
He also pointed out that these steps reflect the seriousness of the movement in implementing the terms of the agreement as stated, and in response to the efforts of the mediators.
Al-Hayya stressed that Hamas and the resistance have proven their seriousness in implementing the agreement with full responsibility, adding that the occupation and the "Netanyahu" government are meeting this seriousness with procrastination and attempts to evade implementing the agreement, especially in the humanitarian aspect.
Al-Hayya stressed the "necessity of obligating the occupation to implement all the terms of the agreement as stated, without exception or procrastination, especially the introduction of heavy machinery so that we can retrieve the bodies of our people's martyrs from under the rubble, as well as the bodies of the occupation's prisoners, who were killed as a result of the Zionist bombing of our people."
He pointed out that "the enemy is still procrastinating and evading engaging in the negotiations of the second phase, which was it is supposed to start on the 16th day of signing the agreement.
The head of Hamas in Gaza called for the necessity of fortifying all of this with binding international guarantees, as stated in Security Council Resolution 2735.
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