Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel and Hamas will very soon enter the second phase of a ceasefire agreement. He said that this phase will begin when Hamas hands over the remains of the last Israeli hostages present in Gaza to Israel.
At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Netanyahu said the next phase of the ceasefire, which includes the disarmament of Gaza and dismantling Hamas’s military capability, could begin by the end of the month.
Hamas still possesses the remains of Israeli policeman Ran Gwili (24), who was killed in the 07 October 2023 attack. The return of their remains, along with the return of the bodies of 15 Palestinians by Israel, will mark the conclusion of the first phase of the ceasefire plan.
However, Hamas claims that after two years of Israeli military action, it is becoming difficult to reach the bodies buried under the debris. Israel has accused the organization of deliberate delays and warned that if all the remains are not returned soon, it could restart military operations or limit humanitarian aid.
A group of hostage families also issued a statement saying “the next phase cannot begin until Ran Gwili’s remains are returned.”
The second phase of the ceasefire includes the deployment of international security forces in Gaza and the formation of a temporary Palestinian administration, which will be overseen by a US-led international board.
Netanyahu acknowledged that this phase would be difficult, and further explained that a third phase planned to liberate Gaza from extremism. “It was possible in Germany, Japan and the Gulf countries, it can also happen in Gaza—provided that Hamas is completely eliminated,” he said.
Chancellor Merz pointed out that Germany, being one of Israel’s closest partners, is supporting the implementation of the second phase and has sent its officials to the US-led coordination center in southern Israel, as well as providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Comments are closed.