A senior Hamas official announced on Monday that the group is willing to release all remaining Israeli hostages if a serious prisoner exchange deal is reached and Israel agrees to end the war in Gaza.
Taher al-Nunu, a senior spokesperson for Hamas, made the remarks during ongoing negotiations in Cairo. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar, in coordination with the United States, are working to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“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,” Nunu told AFP.
He accused Israel of stalling the talks, claiming the Israeli government is backing away from its commitments and obstructing the ceasefire process. “The issue is not the number of captives,” he said, “but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments.”
Nunu also emphasized the need for international guarantees to ensure Israel follows through with any agreement, stating that Hamas would not agree to any deal without such assurances.
Israeli media outlet Ynet reported that a new proposal has been offered to Hamas. Under the terms, the militant group would release 10 living hostages in exchange for U.S. guarantees that Israel would enter negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire.
A previous truce, which began on January 19 and included hostage-prisoner exchanges, lasted for two months before collapsing in March.
One major sticking point remains Hamas’s refusal to disarm—an Israeli demand for ending the conflict. “The weapons of the resistance are not up for negotiation,” Nunu asserted.
The conflict began following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages. Israel says 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.
Since the ceasefire broke down on March 18, Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 1,574 Palestinians have been killed, raising the total death toll in the war to 50,944.
Diplomatic efforts continue in Cairo amid growing international pressure to end the devastating conflict.
