Hamas has signaled readiness to sign an agreement that would bring the Gaza war to a close, with a one-time release of all remaining hostages and a five-year truce, a group official said on Saturday. The announcement came as a Hamas delegation was set to meet with mediators in Cairo.
“Hamas is prepared for an exchange of prisoners in one batch and a five-year truce,” the official, who asked not to be named, confirmed. Earlier, on April 17, Hamas turned down an Israeli offer of a 45-day ceasefire in return for the release of 10 hostages due to its stance against any “partial” deals.
The Palestinian side asserts that any truce should guarantee an absolute cessation of hostilities, total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a mass prisoner exchange, and the free transfer of humanitarian assistance into the war-torn zone. Israel, on the other hand, demands the unconditional release of all the hostages and disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups an offer Hamas regards as non-negotiable.
The war was triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that left 1,218 Israelis dead, mostly civilians, official figures state. 251 hostages were also taken during the attack; to date, 58 are still held in Gaza, of which 34 are confirmed dead, the Israeli military states.
In the early part of this year, a January 19 to March 17 temporary ceasefire resulted in the release of 33 hostages eight who were killed in return for the freedom of approximately 1,800 Palestinian detainees.
As the Israeli assault resumed on March 18, at least 2,062 Palestinians have been killed, increasing Gaza’s total death toll to 51,439, based on the Hamas-run health ministry.
