HAMAS will free its Israeli hostages if an end to the Gaza war is guaranteed, a senior official from the resistance group said today.
Taher al-Nunu said: “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.”
Hamas is taking part in negotiations in Cairo with mediators from Egypt and Qatar – directed by the United States – to broker a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
But Mr Nunu accused Israel of obstructing progress towards a ceasefire.
He said: “The issue is not the number of captives but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war.
“Hamas has therefore stressed the need for guarantees to compel the occupation [Israel] to uphold the agreement.”
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