Israel and Hamas, agreement to hand over last hostages: Abu Marzouk opens to dialogue

Negotiations to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas continue, with the early handover of the bodies of four hostages. Moussa Abu Marzouk reflects on the consequences of the conflict and opens up discussion on disarmament

Israel and Hamas reached an agreement today, Tuesday 25 February, for the early handover of the bodies of the last four hostages, whose return was originally planned during the first phase of the ongoing truce agreement. This was reported by the Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, citing local sources. Israel has demanded that the bodies be returned by Thursday, but negotiations are ongoing to further accelerate the handover.

This new development is part of negotiations aimed at extending the truce between the two sides. The ceasefire agreement, the first phase of which is due to end next Saturday, could in fact be extended. Hamas has proposed further releases of hostage groups in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees.

Abu Marzouk: second thoughts and the possibility of disarmament

Meanwhile, Moussa Abu Marzouk, Hamas’ head of external relations and one of the main candidates to succeed Yahya Sinwar, made statements that are causing discussion. In an interview with the New York Times, Abu Marzouk expressed regret for the 7 October attack on southern Israel, which marked the beginning of the conflict. According to the statement, had he imagined the devastating consequences for Gaza – including the destruction of infrastructure and the worsening humanitarian crisis – he would not have supported the operation.

‘If we had foreseen what happened, 7 October would not have taken place,’ Abu Marzouk said. He added that Hamas would now also be willing to discuss issues that seemed taboo in the past, such as possible disarmament. ‘We are ready to talk about everything,’ he declared. ‘We must discuss any issue that is put on the table, including disarmament.’ These words contradict some other Hamas figures, such as Osama Hamdan, who has said that the ‘weapons of resistance’ are non-negotiable.

The extension of the truce and the proposal of prisoner exchanges

On the negotiating front, Abu Marzouk reiterated that Hamas would be willing to release all hostages at once, provided Israel ends the war and releases all Palestinian prisoners. However, these conditions were rejected by Israel.

Meanwhile, negotiations continue to extend the first phase of the three-part agreement, which is expected to end on Saturday. Abu Marzouk proposed increasing the number of Palestinian prisoners released relative to the number of hostages returned, suggesting a ratio of 500 to 1, and in some cases 1000 to 1 for the remaining prisoners. However, according to reports in the New York Times, Israel is very likely to reject these proposals, considering them unacceptable.

A possible turning point?

These statements and the ongoing negotiations could represent a crucial moment in relations between Israel and Hamas. The willingness to address issues such as disarmament, which have never been seriously considered in the past, could open the way to new scenarios for the future of the Gaza Strip and the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it remains to be seen whether the two sides will manage to find common ground, or whether the current truce will end up like so many other missed opportunities to achieve lasting peace.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)