Israel waiting for names of fifth group of hostages to be released

Hamas is expected to publish the names of the fifth group of hostages to be freed, who will be freed on Saturday.

Ahead of the terror group’s announcement, there are 20 people left on the list to be freed in the first stage of the deal, eight of whom are no longer alive.

Among those who may potentially be freed are Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel (5) and Kfir (2). It is unlikely that they will be freed on Saturday, however, since the deal stipulated that living women would be freed before living men, and four men have already been freed: Gadi Mozes alongside Arbel Yehud and Agam Berger on January 30, and a group of three men – Ofer Calderon, Yarden Bibas, and Keith Seigel – on February 1.

Meanwhile, Hamas sources have claimed that US President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and relocate Gazans may increase the difficulty in negotiating the second stage of the deal for a ceasefire, the release of terrorists, and the return of Israeli hostages.

The delegation which will leave Israel for Qatar will be comprised of low-level officials, most of whom have not participated in the earlier discussions. The heads of the ISA and Mossad will not attend, and neither will Minister Ron Dermer.

A diplomatic source said that the team traveling to Qatar does not have the ability to make significant progress in the talks, and Qatar does not have much faith in them.