Another weekend, another grotesque spectacle in Gaza. Hamas released its latest handful of Israeli hostages as part of the fragile ceasefire agreement which is expected to expire next week.
Hamas said it would exchange the bodies of four Israeli hostages for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday, capping the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.The United States said talks were on track for a second phase of the ceasefire deal that has largely held but whose complexity and long-drawn-out implementation have highlighted its fragility.
Hamas handed over the coffins of four hostages early Thursday, Israeli authorities confirmed, followed soon after by the return of hundreds of freed Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank and Gaza.
Since the deal was struck, there’s been a vibe shift in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is buoyed by the return of US President Donald Trump and under pressure from far-right members of his own cabinet to return to war. The Gaza ceasefire looks increasingly like it may end up being a fleeting interlude.