Hamas Says It’s Ready to Release All Hostages if Permanent Gaza Ceasefire Is Guaranteed – Cairo, April 14

Hamas Says It’s Ready to Release All Hostages if Permanent Gaza Ceasefire Is Guaranteed – Cairo, April 14

The Palestinian group Hamas has declared that it is prepared to release all Israeli hostages if a permanent end to the Gaza war is guaranteed. A crucial round of talks is currently underway in Cairo, mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

Senior Hamas political official Tahar al-Nunu stated,

“We are ready to release all Israeli hostages—in exchange for a significant prisoner swap deal, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a permanent cessation of hostilities, and a guarantee of unhindered humanitarian aid access.”

However, he accused Israel of undermining the implementation of any agreement and breaking peace efforts by continuing its military operations.

“It’s not about numbers,” Nunu added. “The core issue is that the occupying power (Israel) is backing away from its commitments. That’s why Hamas is clearly stating that an international guarantee is needed for an end to the war.”

New Proposals and Progress in Negotiations

According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, a new proposal has been presented to Hamas. Under this plan, Hamas would release 10 living hostages, while the United States would guarantee that Israel would enter the next phase of ceasefire negotiations.

The initial phase of the ceasefire, which began on January 19, lasted for two months and included several rounds of hostage-prisoner exchanges. However, that agreement collapsed on March 18, and new efforts toward a truce have been underway since.

Hamas: ‘Surrender Is Not an Option’

Hamas has repeatedly made it clear that it will not disarm.

“The weapons of the resistance are not up for negotiation,” Nunu said.

War Background and Humanitarian Catastrophe

The war began on October 7, 2023, with a surprise attack by Hamas. According to official Israeli sources, 1,218 people were killed, most of them civilians. Hamas took 251 hostages, of whom 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 whom Israel claims are dead.

On the other hand, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that between the collapse of the ceasefire on March 18 and now, 1,574 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll in the Gaza war to 50,944.

Sources: Al Jazeera, AFP, Hamas, Israeli government data