Hamas: US-Israeli hostage release only if truce deal is enforced

Photo : AFP

Hamas has said it will free an American-Israeli man and return the bodies of four others only if Israel follows the ceasefire deal already agreed. The group called this a special offer to restart peace talks and bring back the truce. A Hamas leader said that the next part of the ceasefire must start on the same day as the hostage release and should not last more than 50 days. Hamas also wants Israel to allow food and medical help into Gaza and to remove its soldiers from an important border area near Egypt. In return, Hamas also wants Israel to release more Palestinian prisoners.

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The hostage Hamas is willing to release is Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier who was taken from his army base on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas attack that started the war. He is the last known American being held in Gaza.

Israel has not given an official answer, but the government was closed for the Sabbath when the offer was made. Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had accused Hamas of playing mind games and not being honest about its real intentions. The United States had suggested adding a few more weeks to the ceasefire so that both sides could talk about a long-term peace. But American officials say Hamas is pretending to be flexible in public while making unfair demands in private.

The peace talks are still going on in Egypt, where Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya arrived on Friday. Egypt and Qatar have helped in past ceasefire talks and worked to bring both sides together, but they have not yet spoken about the latest news. The first ceasefire deal said that Hamas should free all the hostages in return for a lasting peace. But since February, only small talks have happened. Israel had agreed to a U.S.-supported plan where Hamas would release half of the remaining hostages in exchange for discussions on a permanent ceasefire. However, Hamas refused, saying Israel was changing the agreement and trying to ruin the peace process.

To pressure Hamas, Israel has blocked food, fuel, and other supplies from entering Gaza. The two million people living there now have very little to survive on. Israel has also cut off electricity, making life even harder.

The war started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters suddenly attacked Israel. Around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and 251 people were taken as hostages. Since then, Israeli airstrikes and military actions in Gaza have killed more than 48,000 people, including many women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel claims it has killed about 20,000 Hamas fighters but has not shown proof. The war has destroyed many buildings, forcing most people in Gaza to leave their homes. Nearly all of them now depend on charity and aid to survive.

A big problem in the talks is the Philadelphi Corridor, a border area between Gaza and Egypt. Hamas says Israel must remove its soldiers from this area as promised before. But Israel refuses, saying it needs to stay there to stop weapons from being smuggled into Gaza.

Even though peace talks are happening, no one knows if an agreement will be reached to free the hostages and bring back the ceasefire.