**Gaza Ceasefire in Jeopardy**
Hamas says talks with Israel over a ceasefire agreement for Gaza are at risk because of Israel’s delay in releasing Palestinian prisoners. Israel claims Hamas has broken the rules by humiliatingly handing over hostages.
The first phase of the agreement, which includes a six-week ceasefire, is set to expire this Saturday. But indirect negotiations about the second phase and the end of the war have yet to begin.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warns that the ceasefire is “precarious” and that a return to hostilities should be avoided at all costs. He also calls for the “dignified release” of all remaining hostages.
**Israel Holds Up Release**
Hamas has released six Israeli hostages alive on Saturday, but Israel says it will delay the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the six alive and four dead Israeli hostages. Israel accuses Hamas of repeatedly violating the agreement, including humiliating handover ceremonies.
A senior Hamas official says the decision by Israel to hold up the prisoner releases exposes the entire agreement to a “grave risk”. The official calls on mediators, particularly the US, to exert pressure on Israel.
**Violations and Accusations**
Hamas has released six Israeli hostages alive on Saturday, but Israel claims that during the handover, the hostages were made to walk alongside armed fighters before being transferred to the Red Cross. A video posted by Hamas shows two other hostages watching a handover ceremony in a car and appearing to beg Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their release.
The release of the bodies of four hostages earlier this week sparked fury in Israel, as it was revealed that Hamas had handed over a Palestinian woman instead of one of the missing girls. Israeli authorities say that a postmortem shows that two of the boys killed were killed by their captors, contradicting Hamas’s claim that they died in an Israeli airstrike.
**Prisoners and Hostages**
Israel is set to release 620 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement. More than 400 Gazans are detained by Israeli forces in the war. 50 of these prisoners are serving life sentences.
The prisoners had already boarded buses when Netanyahu decided to suspend their release until he consulted with ministers.
**Next Steps**
Hamas says it will not discuss further steps unless the prisoners are released. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement and the temporary six-week ceasefire is due to expire this Saturday, but indirect negotiations about the second phase and the end of the war have yet to begin.
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