Hamas has expressed readiness to release all Israeli hostages, provided there are firm guarantees that Israel will end its military campaign in Gaza.
In ongoing negotiations in Cairo—mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States—a senior Hamas official, Taher al-Nunu, emphasized the group’s willingness to exchange captives for a ceasefire agreement and other humanitarian considerations.
“We are ready to release all Israeli captives in exchange for a serious prisoner swap deal, an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the entry of humanitarian aid,” al-Nunu told AFP.
He, however, blamed Israel for derailing the ceasefire efforts, saying, “The issue is not the number of captives, but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war.”
“Hamas has therefore stressed the need for guarantees to compel the occupation (Israel) to uphold the agreement,” al-Nunu added.
According to a report by Israeli news outlet Ynet, a new proposal has been submitted to Hamas.
Under this plan, the group would release 10 living hostages in exchange for U.S. guarantees that Israel would proceed to a second phase of negotiations toward a broader ceasefire.
The initial phase of the ceasefire began on January 19, featuring several hostage-prisoner exchanges, and held for two months before collapsing.
Progress on a renewed truce remains elusive, with contention surrounding the number of hostages Hamas is expected to free.
Al-Nunu also made it clear that disarmament is off the table.
“The weapons of the resistance are not up for negotiation,” he stated.
The conflict reignited after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,218 people, primarily civilians, based on AFP’s tally of Israeli figures.
During the attack, 251 hostages were taken; 58 are reportedly still in captivity, including 34 who, according to the Israeli military, have died.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported that at least 1,574 Palestinians have died since March 18, when the most recent ceasefire collapsed.
This brings the total death toll in Gaza to 50,944 since the war began.
