QATAR MEDIATES AGREEMENT BETWEEN HAMAS, ISRAEL FOR RETURN OF DISPLACED GAZANS BEGINNING MONDAY

ISTANBUL, Jan 27 (Bernama-AA) -- Qatar said Israel will allow displaced Palestinians to return from southern Gaza to the enclave’s northern regions starting Monday morning, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported citing Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari.

“Starting tomorrow morning, Monday, Israeli authorities will allow displaced residents in Gaza to return from the southern areas to the northern regions of the (Gaza) Strip.

“As part of ongoing efforts led by mediators, an agreement has been reached between the two parties under which Hamas will hand over the (Israeli) hostage Arbel Yehud and two other hostages by next Friday. Additionally, Hamas will release three more hostages on Saturday,” Al-Ansari said in a statement on Sunday.

​​​​He noted that Israel will submit a list of 400 Palestinians arrested since Oct 7, 2023 every Sunday during the first phase.

The agreement also includes Hamas providing information on the number of hostages to be released as part of the first phase of the agreement, said the statement.

The first six-week phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Jan 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 47,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 111,400 since Oct 7, 2023.

The three-phase ceasefire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of untold numbers of elderly people, women and children.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

-- BERNAMA-AA