In a post on his X account on Friday, Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described the behavior of Hamas as rational and based on humanitarian grounds and said that he hopes that after the release of Palestinian women and children and their exchange of Israeli prisoners, the region will enter a new period of peace and stability.
"First, we are happy that the Zionist regime's crimes committed against the oppressed and strong people of Gaza have stopped at least for a few days. Our efforts in the last two days were aimed at stopping these crimes, we hope from now on the region will enter a new period of security and stability."
Regarding his meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas, in Qatar on Thursday, the top Iranian diplomat said that "Mr. Haniyeh was determined to release the civilian prisoners from the very first days [ Gaza battle], but the Israeli side prevented this issue in order to continue its warmongering policy."
"The behavior of Hamas is rational and based on humanitarian grounds and I hope that after the release of Palestinian women and children and their exchange of Israeli prisoners, the region will enter a new period of peace and stability," he continued.
After weeks of negotiations, Hamas on Friday released the first batch of prisoners it had agreed to set free under a truce deal with Israeli regime that came into effect in the morning.
Hamas combatants took 237 people into captivity from Israeli-controlled occupied territories in October 7 attack known as Al-Aqsa Storm Operation. Under the deal for a four-day truce, Hamas is to release 50 unarmed prisoners in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel and a pause in fighting. However, more than those numbers might be released, officials indicated, according to Al Jazeera.
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