‘End the War’ – Hamas Details Conditions for Release of All Israeli Prisoners
Hamas details its conditions for releasing all Israeli captives in Gaza, demanding a comprehensive prisoner exchange, ceasefire, and complete Israeli withdrawal.
A senior figure in the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, Taher El-Nounou, stated today that the organization is prepared to release all Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a serious prisoner swap deal, a ceasefire, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave.
El-Nounou, the media advisor to the head of Hamas’s political bureau, made the remarks to Al-Jazeera Arabic channel, coinciding with ongoing mediation efforts.
A Hamas delegation, led by the movement’s chief in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, held several meetings in Cairo yesterday with Egyptian officials overseeing the negotiation file, with Qatari officials also participating.
Both Cairo and Doha, the primary mediators in the truce talks, are striving to bridge the gap between Hamas and Israel to end the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Palestinian territory and end the war.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), El-Nounou reiterated Hamas’s position: “We are ready to release all Israeli prisoners in exchange for a serious exchange deal, an end to the war, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of aid.”
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El-Nounou accused Israel of obstructing an agreement, asserting that “the problem is not with the number of prisoners, but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, hindering the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, and continuing the war.”
He emphasized that Hamas has “stressed to the mediators the necessity of providing guarantees to compel the occupation to implement the agreement.” He added that Hamas has “dealt with great positivity and flexibility with the ideas presented in the negotiations to stop the war and exchange prisoners.”
El-Nounou further stated that “the occupation wants the release of its prisoners without moving to the issues of the second phase related to a permanent ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.”
AFP cited a well-informed source indicating that the Hamas delegation “concluded its meetings with Egyptian and Qatari officials in Cairo without achieving any real progress.”
In a separate statement, El-Nounou affirmed that “the weapons of the resistance are a red line and not up for negotiation,” adding that “the survival of the resistance’s weapons is linked to the existence of the occupation.”
Israeli Conditions
Conversely, Israeli media reports suggest negotiations for the release of approximately 10 living Israeli captives and a number of deceased ones in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, a prolonged ceasefire, and the renewed entry of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip.
According to the Israeli news website Ynet today, a new proposal has been presented to Hamas under which 10 living captives would be released in return for American guarantees that Israel will enter into negotiations regarding a second phase of a ceasefire.
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Israel’s Channel 12 reported that “in order to persuade Hamas to agree to the deal, the United States conveyed a message to it through mediators stating that if more than eight living hostages are released in the upcoming deal, the (US President Donald) Trump administration will guarantee that there will be a serious discussion about the next phase of the deal, which is the end of the war.”
The initial phase of a ceasefire agreement commenced on January 19th and included several rounds of prisoner exchanges. However, after 58 days, Israel allegedly reneged on the agreement, resuming its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
Mediators’ efforts to reach a new truce have stalled due to disagreements over the number of prisoners Hamas would release, a permanent ceasefire, and the Israeli withdrawal from the Strip.
Genocide Continues
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While the violations have been condemned by numerous countries and human rights groups, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
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Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins. Additionally, over 116,000 have been wounded, while 14,000 remain missing.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the besieged enclave.
Furthermore, Israel imposes a suffocating blockade on the Strip, with the Israeli army preventing the entry of food, water, medicine, and fuel, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
(PC, AJA)