Israel releases Palestinian prisoners, sends negotiators to Cairo

Israel has released the final group of Palestinian prisoners in the first phase of a multi-stage ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Concurrently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dispatched a negotiating team to Cairo for further consultations on the fragile truce. This action signifies a crucial step taken by both sides in seeking a path to peace, but future negotiations still face numerous challenges.

On Thursday, a total of 641 prisoners were released, including over 450 who arrived in the besieged and bombarded Gaza Strip. This release occurred after another delay by Israel and the return of the remains of four Israelis by Hamas. This process highlights the complexity and sensitivity of implementing the ceasefire agreement.

Released Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Abu Amsha, who arrived in Khan Younis, Gaza on Thursday, stated that he faced terrible conditions during his detention, receiving only one "very bad" meal per day. "They used to beat and humiliate us. The sick did not receive treatment. There were many skin diseases in the prison, and we have not changed our clothes since the first day we were detained," Abu Amsha told Al Jazeera. His testimony reveals the inhumane treatment suffered by prisoners, raising concerns about human rights issues.

In the first phase of the ceasefire, which took effect last month, Israel released more than 2,000 prisoners and detainees in exchange for 25 living captives and the remains of another eight held in Gaza. While Israel's relentless bombardment of the region has been suspended and Israeli forces have withdrawn from certain positions in Gaza, Israeli forces have continued to violate the ceasefire agreement, killing 17 people in the past 48 hours, according to Palestinian health officials. This indicates that the implementation of the ceasefire agreement is not complete, and the conflict still has the potential to reignite.

Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, the capital of Jordan, said that Israel "has not allowed enough humanitarian aid, such as tents, mobile homes, etc." The Egyptian State Information Service said in a statement that officials from Israel, chief mediator Qatar, and the United States have begun "in-depth discussions" in Cairo on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. The statement also noted: "The mediators are also discussing how to strengthen the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to alleviate the suffering of local residents and support stability in the region." The second phase also includes ensuring the release of the remaining captives and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. These goals reflect the international community's expectations for achieving long-term peace in the Gaza region.

Israeli authorities believe that less than half of the 59 captives still being held in Gaza are alive. Following Thursday's exchange, Israel announced that it would send a delegation to the Egyptian capital to meet with mediators. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told reporters in Jerusalem earlier on Thursday that the delegation would travel to Egypt to see if there was common ground to negotiate an extension of the first phase of the truce. "We have said that we are prepared to extend the framework in exchange for the release of more hostages. If possible, we will do so." The Israeli government faces public pressure to extend the ceasefire agreement and ensure the release of the remaining captives, while some officials within the far-right government want to return to war. Hamas said earlier that it was ready to begin negotiations on the second phase and that it would only release the remaining captives in Gaza if there was a commitment to abide by the ceasefire agreement. These complex political factors increase the difficulty of reaching a lasting peace agreement.

Hours before the talks began, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told public broadcaster Kan that Israel was demanding that its troops remain in the Philadelphi Corridor, which connects southern Gaza to Egypt. Israeli forces were supposed to begin withdrawing from the Gaza-Egypt border area starting on Saturday and complete the withdrawal within eight days. The Egyptian side did not immediately comment on this corridor, and Egypt opposes any Israeli presence on the Gaza border. According to Palestinian health officials, more than 48,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. The war has devastated the crowded coastal enclave and repeatedly displaced much of its population. Israel launched its offensive on Gaza after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killed at least 1,139 people and took about 250 captive. This ongoing conflict has brought immense suffering to the people of Gaza, requiring urgent action from the international community.