Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that Israel is willing to move forward with the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, but only if Hamas agrees to release more of the 59 hostages still in captivity.
The current truce, in place since January 19 and brokered with U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediation, has seen Hamas release 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, the initial 42-day ceasefire has expired, and negotiations remain deadlocked over key issues, including the governance of Gaza after the war and the future of Hamas.
“We are ready to proceed to phase two,” Saar told reporters in Jerusalem, as Arab leaders gathered in Cairo to discuss a potential permanent end to the conflict. “But in order to extend the time or the framework, we need an agreement to release more hostages.”
Hamas has expressed its willingness to advance negotiations that could lead to a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the return of all remaining hostages taken during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. However, Israel insists that the truce cannot be extended unless additional hostages are freed. The Israeli government is backing a plan to prolong the ceasefire through Ramadan, which began on Saturday, and extend it past the Jewish Passover holiday in April.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to visit the region in the coming days to discuss the ceasefire’s extension or the transition to the next phase of negotiations, according to the U.S. State Department.
Saar denied accusations that Israel had violated the agreement by not advancing to the second phase of talks. He argued there was “no automaticity” between phases and accused Hamas of breaking the agreement by allegedly seizing aid deliveries instead of distributing them.
“It is a means to continue the war against Israel. It’s today the major part of Hamas’ income in Gaza,” Saar claimed.
Aid organizations have reported instances of looting and misappropriation of humanitarian supplies in Gaza, though Hamas denies diverting aid for its own use.
Saar declined to comment on reports that Israel had given a 10-day deadline to reach a deal before resuming military operations. However, he stated, “If we want to do it, we will do it.”
