Full hostage release conditional: Hamas demands ceasefire and Gaza exit
Shafaq News/ Hamas is prepared to release all Israeli hostages held in Gaza—but only under two core conditions: a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli military withdrawal from the territory, a senior official from the group said on Monday.
“We are ready to release all Israeli prisoners in exchange for a serious swap deal, the end of the war, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of humanitarian aid,” Taher El-Nounou told AFP.
He accused Israel of stalling the negotiations, saying, “The issue is not the number of prisoners, but rather the occupation’s failure to honor its commitments, its obstruction of a ceasefire agreement, and its continuation of the war.”
El-Nounou also criticized Israel’s approach to the negotiations, claiming it wants its captives freed without committing to the next phase of the proposed deal, which includes a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal from Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli media report ongoing negotiations for a deal that would secure the release of around 10 living Israeli captives, as well as the remains of several deceased individuals. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be released, a prolonged ceasefire would be implemented, and humanitarian aid would resume flowing into the Gaza Strip.
According to the Israeli news outlet Ynet, the current proposal being discussed involves American guarantees that Israel would commit to negotiating the second phase of a ceasefire following the initial release of 10 hostages.
A previous truce in late November 2024 brought a temporary pause in fighting. During that time, 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. However, the ceasefire collapsed last month amid disagreements over further releases and mutual accusations of violations.
Since the outbreak of the war, more than 61,709 people have been killed and over 111,588 injured in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
