JERUSALEM / GAZA - Hamas reaffirmed on Tuesday its willingness to implement the second and third phases of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the group had agreed, at the request of a mediator, to double the number of Israeli hostages to be released, demonstrating its commitment to the deal.

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Qassem rejected Israeli demands for Hamas to leave Gaza, calling them part of a "psychological war". He stressed that Hamas would not accept Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demand that the group disarm and its leaders be expelled from Gaza.

Separately, Israel's public broadcaster reported that Netanyahu had officially decided to begin negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire deal and informed the Security Cabinet of his decision.  

Hamas agrees to release 6 hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to release the remaining six living hostages held in Gaza included in the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire deal on Saturday.

The office said in a statement that the new "understanding" was achieved following talks in Egypt's capital Cairo.

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A well-informed Egyptian source told Egypt's state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV channel that the achievement came following successful talks in Cairo between Egyptian, Qatari, Israeli, and US delegations.

Citing an Israeli official, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that in exchange, Israel agreed to allow shelters, trailers, and heavy equipment for the reconstruction of Gaza to enter the devastated enclave.

In addition, Hamas would return the bodies of four hostages on Thursday and four additional bodies next week, Netanyahu's office said.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and chief Hamas negotiator, confirmed in a televised address that four bodies would be transferred on Thursday. He added that Hamas would also free six Israeli hostages as part of the exchange for Palestinian detainees.

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Under the original terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to release three living hostages on Saturday and another three the following Saturday, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

However, amid pressure from Israel, backed by the United States, and following negotiations with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, all six hostages will be freed on Saturday.