Cairo (Egypt), March 15 (LaPresse/AP) – Hamas has stated that it will release Israeli-American hostage, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, along with the bodies of four other hostages, if Israel implements the existing ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling it an "exceptional agreement" aimed at getting the truce back on track. A senior Hamas official said that long-stalled talks on the second phase of the ceasefire should begin on the day of the release and last no more than 50 days. Israel would also need to lift the blockade on humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border. The official added that Hamas will also demand the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages.
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