Hamas Conditions Hostage Release on Truce Implementation with Israel
Negotiations intensify as humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens amid continued airstrikes.
CAIRO: Hamas has announced that it will release an American-Israeli hostage along with the bodies of four other hostages only if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement.
The group characterized the proposed arrangement as an 'exceptional deal' intended to revive the truce negotiations.
A senior Hamas official indicated that the long-stalled discussions regarding the second phase of the ceasefire would need to commence on the day of the release and must be concluded within 50 days.
In addition to these stipulations, Hamas demands that Israel cease its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border.
The official, who spoke anonymously, also mentioned that Hamas would seek the release of additional Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
The American-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander, 21, was abducted from a military base during the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which sparked the ongoing conflict.
He is currently the last known American citizen held in Gaza, where Hamas retains a total of 59 hostages, with reports suggesting that 35 of them may have died.
In northern Gaza, Israeli airstrikes in Beit Lahiya resulted in the deaths of at least nine people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Among the deceased was local reporter Mahmoud Islim, who was operating a drone.
The Israeli military reported that its strikes were aimed at individuals deemed a threat to soldiers in the vicinity and did not provide evidence identifying those targeted.
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, hostilities have slowed, though Israeli military actions have resulted in multiple casualties among Palestinians accused of entering restricted areas or violating the truce.
Israel's response to Hamas's latest offer has been muted, coinciding with the closure of government offices for the weekly Sabbath.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office previously accused Hamas of engaging in 'psychological warfare.'
Meanwhile, the United States has proposed extending the ceasefire to facilitate negotiations for a lasting truce.
Reports indicate that while Hamas has publicly expressed flexibility, it has made demands that the United States characterized as 'entirely impractical.'
Discussions are ongoing in Egypt, where senior Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya arrived recently to negotiate with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, who played crucial roles in establishing the initial ceasefire.
According to the ceasefire agreement from January, negotiations were scheduled to begin in early February, focusing on the complete release of the remaining hostages in exchange for a durable peace arrangement.
However, progress has been limited to preliminary discussions thus far.
Following the conclusion of the first phase, which allowed for the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, Israel imposed further restrictions on the delivery of food, fuel, and supplies to the Gaza Strip, now home to approximately 2 million residents.
Ahmed Al-Sufi, head of the municipality in Rafah, a city near the Gaza-Egypt border, announced that the ongoing Israeli blockade has depleted their fuel reserves needed to pump water from numerous wells, leading to a suspension of vital services and exacerbating a burgeoning health and environmental crisis.
Last month, an Israeli official stated that Israel intends to maintain control over the Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, rejecting the truce agreement's call for withdrawal, citing security concerns related to the prevention of weapons smuggling.
The group characterized the proposed arrangement as an 'exceptional deal' intended to revive the truce negotiations.
A senior Hamas official indicated that the long-stalled discussions regarding the second phase of the ceasefire would need to commence on the day of the release and must be concluded within 50 days.
In addition to these stipulations, Hamas demands that Israel cease its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border.
The official, who spoke anonymously, also mentioned that Hamas would seek the release of additional Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
The American-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander, 21, was abducted from a military base during the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which sparked the ongoing conflict.
He is currently the last known American citizen held in Gaza, where Hamas retains a total of 59 hostages, with reports suggesting that 35 of them may have died.
In northern Gaza, Israeli airstrikes in Beit Lahiya resulted in the deaths of at least nine people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Among the deceased was local reporter Mahmoud Islim, who was operating a drone.
The Israeli military reported that its strikes were aimed at individuals deemed a threat to soldiers in the vicinity and did not provide evidence identifying those targeted.
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, hostilities have slowed, though Israeli military actions have resulted in multiple casualties among Palestinians accused of entering restricted areas or violating the truce.
Israel's response to Hamas's latest offer has been muted, coinciding with the closure of government offices for the weekly Sabbath.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office previously accused Hamas of engaging in 'psychological warfare.'
Meanwhile, the United States has proposed extending the ceasefire to facilitate negotiations for a lasting truce.
Reports indicate that while Hamas has publicly expressed flexibility, it has made demands that the United States characterized as 'entirely impractical.'
Discussions are ongoing in Egypt, where senior Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya arrived recently to negotiate with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, who played crucial roles in establishing the initial ceasefire.
According to the ceasefire agreement from January, negotiations were scheduled to begin in early February, focusing on the complete release of the remaining hostages in exchange for a durable peace arrangement.
However, progress has been limited to preliminary discussions thus far.
Following the conclusion of the first phase, which allowed for the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, Israel imposed further restrictions on the delivery of food, fuel, and supplies to the Gaza Strip, now home to approximately 2 million residents.
Ahmed Al-Sufi, head of the municipality in Rafah, a city near the Gaza-Egypt border, announced that the ongoing Israeli blockade has depleted their fuel reserves needed to pump water from numerous wells, leading to a suspension of vital services and exacerbating a burgeoning health and environmental crisis.
Last month, an Israeli official stated that Israel intends to maintain control over the Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, rejecting the truce agreement's call for withdrawal, citing security concerns related to the prevention of weapons smuggling.
