US Urges Netanyahu to Advance Gaza Deal Despite Hostage Recovery Delay
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a report in a Zionist newspaper on Tuesday indicated that the Donald Trump administration is urging Benjamin Netanyahu to initiate the second phase of the Gaza agreement before the remains of the final Zionist prisoner are recovered. However, the pressure is reportedly not absolute.
The initial phase of the agreement, which included a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, commenced on October 10 of last year, based on a plan proposed by President Trump.
Within this framework, Palestinian groups released 20 living Zionist prisoners and the remains of 27 others, and are still searching for the body of Ran Gouilli, the last missing prisoner, amidst the widespread devastation in Gaza resulting from the conflict.
The Israeli government has conditioned the commencement of negotiations for the second phase of the agreement on the recovery of Gouilli’s remains. According to Israel Hayom, Washington has informed Tel Aviv that the search for the final prisoner’s body will continue even after the second phase begins.
The newspaper further stated that, in messages conveyed over the past 12 hours, U.S. officials have emphasized that the results of the first phase have exceeded Israel’s expectations, with a greater number of living prisoners and remains being returned than initially anticipated. Early estimates had suggested that Hamas would retain at least some of the bodies.
However, the Trump administration reportedly prefers to secure Netanyahu’s agreement rather than imposing the start of the second phase on Israel.
U.S. sources in Washington have noted that Netanyahu is concerned that announcing the second phase before the return of Ran Gouilli could lead to severe domestic criticism.
These sources added that the U.S. plan ultimately aims to disarm Hamas, a prospect that is met with considerable skepticism in the occupied territories regarding the ability of the future International Security Force (ISF) to implement it. Hamas has stated that it is prepared to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority if the occupation ends.
On Tuesday, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to the occupied territories, expressed hope that Ran Gouilli would be returned within the next 24 to 48 hours.
The ceasefire agreement was intended to end the conflict that Israel initiated in Gaza with U.S. support on October 8, 2023. The conflict resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian fatalities and 171,000 injuries, predominantly women and children. Nevertheless, Zionist forces continue to violate the ceasefire daily. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 377 Palestinians were killed and 987 injured on Tuesday alone.
Additionally, Israel is impeding the entry of adequate food and medical supplies into the blockaded Gaza Strip, where approximately 2.4 million Palestinians are living in dire conditions.
