Even before the first phase is completed, the fragile cease-fire agreement that has paused 15 months of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas faces increasingly long odds of lasting or even reaching phase two.

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari has

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari confirmed

This came in phone call between Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - Anadolu Ajansı

Steven Witkoff, who played an important role in brokering the truce between Israel and Hamas, also met with Israel’s prime minister and visited Saudi Arabia.

Mediator Qatar says an agreement has been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

Israel has prevented thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released.

Hamas will hand over Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud, two others by Friday, says Qatari Foreign Ministry - Anadolu Ajansı

“Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the occupation is defeated,” Hamas said in a statement after the cease-fire.

Qatar announced early Monday that an agreement has been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, easing the first major crisis of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday that displaced Palestinians would not be allowed to return to their homes in northern Gaza until the civilian hostage Arbel Yehoud was released by Hamas.