The Repatriation Of Six Hostages And Four Bodies By Hamas This Week Is Called Due To Changes In Israel's Negotiation Team

PM Netanyahu met representatives of the victim's family and Israeli hostages. (Source: GPO/Kobi Gideon)

JAKARTA - A "senior source familiar with the details" released a statement claiming that the plan to release the four hostages who died tomorrow and six hostages who were still alive on Saturday was the direct result of changes to the Israeli negotiating team.

"The agreement was reached to release six hostages alive at one time, along with the return of the four hostages who died tomorrow, is the result of the prime minister's decision to change the composition of the negotiating team," the senior source said.

"The new team changed the dynamics and led the negotiations instead of giving concessions," the statement said.

"This also stops the practice of routine briefings and biases against prime ministers and political echelons, which only causes Hamas to strengthen its position and increase demands," the statement added.

Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, longtime confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will lead phase two talks of the deal to release hostages with Hamas, according to a Hebrew media report yesterday.

Previously, Mossad Chief David Barnea had led the previous round. PM Netanyahu ruled out Barnea, head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar and head of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) hostage-taking Nitzan Alon, who had argued with him during negotiations.

Security chiefs have long felt the deal could and should have been reached earlier, but political considerations in Israel hindered these efforts.

Earlier, Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said on Tuesday it was ready to start negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, as well as release six surviving hostages based on the first phase of the deal and repatriate the bodies of four hostages this week, quoted from IRNA.

Quoted from CNN, Hamas will repatriate the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest hostages, Kfir and Ariel Bibas.

On Saturday, Hamas will release six surviving hostages, not three as previously thought.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office confirmed on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached during negotiations in Cairo for "four killed hostages" to be handed over on Thursday and "six surviving hostages" to be released on Saturday.

He added, "the other four killed hostages are expected to be handed over to Israel next week."

In response, Israel is expected to release Palestinian prisoners instead of Israelis, as in previous weeks.