Hamas has expressed willingness to negotiate the next phase of a ceasefire in Gaza after handing over the remains of four hostages in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. The exchange marked the last under the current six-week truce, which is set to expire this weekend.
Hamas stated that negotiations were the only way for Israel to secure the release of remaining hostages and warned that withdrawing from the truce would cause further suffering for captives and their families.
The latest exchange included 445 men, 21 teenagers, and one woman, many of whom had been detained following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Some were serving life sentences for attacks against Israelis. The prisoner release had been delayed after Israel condemned Hamas’ practice of parading hostages before their release. However, the four bodies were handed over to the Red Cross without a public ceremony.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, paused 15 months of conflict that began when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retrieve all hostages and dismantle Hamas, but achieving this without resuming military operations remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Hamas is unlikely to release the remaining 59 hostages—32 of whom are believed to be dead—without securing a lasting ceasefire.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, with more than half of the casualties reported as women and children. The war has displaced 90 percent of Gaza’s population and devastated its infrastructure. With the ceasefire’s expiration approaching, international mediators are pushing for renewed negotiations, but the future of the truce remains uncertain.
Hamas stated that negotiations were the only way for Israel to secure the release of remaining hostages and warned that withdrawing from the truce would cause further suffering for captives and their families.
The latest exchange included 445 men, 21 teenagers, and one woman, many of whom had been detained following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Some were serving life sentences for attacks against Israelis. The prisoner release had been delayed after Israel condemned Hamas’ practice of parading hostages before their release. However, the four bodies were handed over to the Red Cross without a public ceremony.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, paused 15 months of conflict that began when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retrieve all hostages and dismantle Hamas, but achieving this without resuming military operations remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Hamas is unlikely to release the remaining 59 hostages—32 of whom are believed to be dead—without securing a lasting ceasefire.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, with more than half of the casualties reported as women and children. The war has displaced 90 percent of Gaza’s population and devastated its infrastructure. With the ceasefire’s expiration approaching, international mediators are pushing for renewed negotiations, but the future of the truce remains uncertain.
