London: A senior Hamas leader has confirmed plans to release Israeli hostages from Monday morning (Israel time) to meet a crucial deadline in the Gaza ceasefire, ahead of a ceremony in Egypt to mark a peace deal that could end the war.
The move comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to fly to Egypt for the peace ceremony on Monday, along with as many as 20 other national leaders, in a sign of international support for enforcing the terms of the agreement.
But top Hamas officials are seeking to assert their control over key parts of Gaza as the Israel Defence Forces withdraw from the devastated war zone, with the BBC reporting that 7000 fighters are being recalled to the territory.
The mobilisation of thousands of Hamas fighters challenges a central feature of Trump’s peace plan