Hamas Offers to Release All ’Israeli’ Captives in Exchange for Ceasefire and Prisoner Swap

By Staff, Agencies

A senior Hamas official has confirmed that the Palestinian resistance movement is prepared to release all remaining "Israeli" captives held in Gaza as part of a comprehensive prisoner exchange—on the condition of a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of "Israeli" forces.

“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,” said Taher al-Nunu, a high-ranking Hamas spokesperson, as quoted by AFP on Monday.

Hamas is currently engaged in negotiations in Cairo with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and is said to be engaging with the talks in a “positive and responsible” manner. However, Nunu criticized "Israel" for obstructing the process.

“The issue is not the number of captives,” he explained, “but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, and continuing the war.” He stressed the importance of binding guarantees to ensure that the occupation upholds any agreement reached.

Reports indicate that Washington may pressure the "Israeli" entity to accept a new ceasefire framework, in which Hamas would release 10 living captives in return for US guarantees that "Israel" would engage in negotiations for the second phase of a broader truce.

A Hamas official revealed that the most recent "Israeli" proposal includes a 45-day suspension of military activity, redeployment of "Israeli" occupation forces to positions held before March 2, the reopening of border crossings, and the delivery of humanitarian aid—but all within a framework dictated by "Israel".

Despite the temporary relief the proposal might offer, Hamas criticized the terms, saying they fall short of core demands: a permanent ceasefire, full withdrawal of "Israeli" forces from Gaza, and a substantial prisoner exchange.

The official warned that the proposal aims to erode Hamas's leverage by freeing captives while securing no meaningful concessions from "Israel." He further noted that the entity’s ultimate goal is to disarm Hamas and prevent its return to governance in Gaza.

Hamas has reiterated that it is open to any proposals that meet the demands of a permanent ceasefire, full withdrawal, relief for the Palestinian population, and a serious prisoner swap.

Meanwhile, the "Israeli" military launched a new aerial assault on Gaza on March 18, causing the martyrdom of hundreds, injuring many more and effectively collapsing the previous ceasefire and exchange deal.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the death toll in "Israel’s" war on Gaza has risen to at least 50,983 Palestinians, mostly women and children, with 116,274 others wounded since October 7, 2023.