The Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has announced the release of 10 Israeli hostages as a goodwill gesture toward a potential new ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The decision was confirmed in a statement issued by the group’s high command on Wednesday.
The statement read, “Hamas welcomes the success of recent dialogues aimed at achieving an anticipated ceasefire in Gaza and, as a gesture of respect and goodwill toward a potential agreement, has decided to release 10 Israeli hostages. They will be freed shortly.”
“However, discussions on core issues—such as the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a permanent ceasefire—have yet to begin. Hamas expects these matters to be prioritized in the ongoing talks,” it added.
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a draft for a 60-day ceasefire. Since last week, representatives from Hamas and Israel have been holding meetings with government officials from mediating countries Egypt and Qatar in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to discuss the proposal.
According to various international media reports, Hamas demanded that Trump’s 60-day ceasefire proposal be transformed into a permanent ceasefire agreement, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the demand.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack inside Israeli territory, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 individuals hostage. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began operations in Gaza on the same day to counter the attack and secure the release of the hostages. So far, approximately 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in these operations.
Over the two-year conflict, Hamas has released most of the hostages in several phases and handed over the bodies of a few others. Official estimates indicate that at least 50 hostages remain in Hamas’s custody, though it is unclear how many are still alive.
Previously, following a proposal by former U.S. President Joe Biden, Hamas and the IDF observed a two-month ceasefire starting February 20, during which Hamas released 30 hostages.
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