“Four-and-a-half month truce, releasing hostages in three stages” Hamas executives reveal proposal. Women and children will be released in the first stage.
In the second stage, the release will proceed further, and in the third stage, bodies will be returned. In order to move to the second phase, both sides are required to complete talks regarding an end to the fighting, and they are also requesting that Israeli forces withdraw from the Gaza Strip during this period. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has advocated a policy of annihilating Hamas, remains prepared to continue military operations.