Hamas has expressed willingness to release all remaining Israeli hostages, but only if Israel agrees to a full withdrawal from Gaza and guarantees a lasting end to the war. Speaking to AFP on Monday, senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group is open to a comprehensive prisoner swap, emphasizing that the hostages would be freed only as part of a broader ceasefire deal. He insisted that any agreement must include firm guarantees from international mediators, including the United States, to ensure that Israel follows through.
Al-Nunu, who is part of the negotiation efforts in Cairo, accused Israel of stalling the process and backtracking on earlier commitments. Talks are being facilitated by Egypt and Qatar, with Washington playing a key role in trying to broker peace. According to Nunu, the central issue is not the number of hostages but the need for trust and accountability in implementing the terms of any truce.
Israeli media outlet Ynet reported a fresh proposal has been presented to Hamas. The deal would see the group free ten living hostages immediately, with the United States offering assurances that Israel would begin negotiations for the next stage of a ceasefire. The first phase of truce talks, which kicked off in January and resulted in some hostage releases, eventually collapsed two months later due to unresolved disputes.
Nunu reiterated Hamas’s refusal to disarm, calling the group’s weapons non-negotiable and a crucial part of what he termed “the resistance.” This condition remains a major sticking point, as Israel has repeatedly demanded that Hamas give up arms before ending the conflict.
The war in Gaza erupted following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths—mostly civilians—and the kidnapping of 251 people. Israel believes 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 it considers dead. Since the ceasefire collapsed on March 18, Gaza’s health ministry reports that 1,574 Palestinians have died, pushing the total death toll since the war began to more than 50,900.
Peace efforts continue under intense pressure as the humanitarian situation worsens and hopes for a negotiated solution hang in the balance.
