Hamas is said to have agreed to free five living Israeli captives in return for a ceasefire lasting 50 days, following the release of a video showing a hostage pleading for his release.
According to reports, Khalil al-Hayya, the leader of Hamas, stated on Saturday that the group showed readiness to release the five hostages during the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr, starting on Sunday. This decision came after a proposal was received from Egypt and Qatar two days prior.
"Two days ago, a proposal was presented to us by the mediators from Egypt and Qatar. We viewed it positively and agreed to it," Khalil al-Hayya said during a televised address.
“We hope that the [Israeli] occupation will not sabotage [this agreement]," stated Hayya, who heads Hamas's negotiating team in the ongoing indirect discussions to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza that began in October 2023.
Following "a series of discussions regarding the proposal received from the mediators," Benjamin Netanyahu's office remarked that Israel has submitted a counter-proposal in complete alignment with the United States.
The Netanyahu administration demands the release of 10 of the 24 hostages believed to be alive in Gaza, as stated by media sources citing Israeli officials. Among the 251 individuals taken during Hamas’s assault on Israel in 2023, 58 are still held in Gaza, with 34 identified by the Israeli military as deceased. It is reported that Hamas is willing to return their bodies.
In return, Israel is expected to free hundreds of Palestinian inmates.
Khalil emphasized that Hamas's armaments are a "red line" and stated that disarmament will not occur while Israel maintains military control over Gaza.
Israel is not taking part in the ceasefire treaty negotiations currently happening in Doha among Egypt, Qatar, and Hamas, despite rising attempts to finalize a deal before Eid al-Fitr.
This update comes three days after security sources indicated to Reuters that Egypt had received encouraging signs from Israel regarding a new ceasefire proposition that would incorporate a transitional phase.
Last week, Israel resumed military actions in Gaza, disrupting the ceasefire with Hamas. The Palestinian health ministry reported that the renewed assault has resulted in 921 fatalities.
On Saturday, Hamas's military branch released a video showing an Israeli hostage in Gaza urging the government to facilitate his freedom, marking the second such video shared by the group in recent days.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum identified the individual as Elkana Bohbot, who was taken from the location of a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, an event that sparked the conflict.
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March 30, 2025 at 08:41AM
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