Egyptian officials confirmed that the Zionist entity will carry out the second stage of a prisoner release deal.

Egyptian officials confirmed that the Zionist entity will carry out the second stage of a prisoner release deal according to the agreement brokered with the Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas.

Sheikh Salah al-Aruri said Egypt was pressing ‘Israeli’ government to release the remaining detainees by December 19, before reaching the two month deadline, Palestine Information Center reported.

Egypt is expected to meet the ‘Israeli’ side to discuss the next stage of the deal, which the first was carried out on Oct. 18 in exchange for the captured soldier Gilad Shalit.

In the second phase of the agreement, 550 further prisoners should be released, a process Hamas officials say has been guaranteed by Egypt.

A report by the Ministry of Detainees Affairs in Ramallah noted that prisoners in enemy jails have not noticed any improvement in conditions since a prisoner exchange deal was reached.

Prisoners Minister Issa Qaraqe said that 29 relatives of freed prisoners were barred from leaving the West Bank to perform the Hajj pilgrimage of this year.