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Mediators pledge to guarantee safe release of hostages from Gaza — PM office

The office noted that "Israel insists on learning lessons from what happened and is committed to strictly ensuring the safety of the hostages when they are released in later stages"

TEL AVIV, January 30. /TASS/. Mediators, in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand, have pledged to guarantee the safe withdrawal of the hostages from Gaza in the upcoming stages of their release, the PM’s office said.

"In response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s demand, the mediators delivered a commitment guaranteeing the safe release of the hostages in the following stages," the statement reads.

The office added that "Israel insists on learning lessons from what happened and is committed to strictly ensuring the safety of the hostages when they are released in later stages."

Earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu ordered a delay in the release of Palestinian prisoners until there is a guarantee of a safe transfer of hostages to the Red Cross during the next stages of the ceasefire deal in force in the enclave. The prime minister took this step after, on January 30, hostage-threatening actions erupted during the handover of seven kidnapped individuals to the Red Cross.

The Ynet website reported that buses carrying 110 Palestinian prisoners, who were supposed to be released, were stopped en route and then began returning toward Israeli prisons.