Media reported on Hamas's possible agreement to release more Israeli hostages

Israel suggests that the Palestinian Hamas movement may agree to release more hostages than the current phase of the Gaza cease-fire agreement. The Jerusalem Post (JP) reported on February 23 that.

"Hamas at the moment wants the deal to go ahead. It's in their interest. They want more convoys and heavy equipment to enter Gaza, and they don't want to be the party - at this stage - that will cause the deal to collapse," an Israeli official told the paper.

According to the newspaper, an extension of the first phase of the agreement beyond the 42 days is being considered. The extension would include the release of four male hostages (all of them fathers) and other seriously wounded in exchange for an extension of the ceasefire during Ramadan.

US President Donald Trump 's special envoy to the Middle East, Steven Whitkoff, said the White House expects the second phase to move forward.

"We need to get an extension of phase one. I will be traveling to the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that," he said.

Whitkoff also explained that phase two means ending the war and excluding Hamas from any future government.

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On this day, it was reported that Israel postponed the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners until the freedom of the next Israeli hostages is secured "without humiliating ceremonies." The release was to have taken place on Saturday.

Earlier, on February 21, it became known that Israel was going to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, including 50 people sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the agency, also will be released 445 prisoners from the Gaza Strip, who were arrested after October 7, 2023.