By Tom Ozimek
Contributing Writer
Hamas announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to release 10 hostages as part of its efforts to work in a “positive spirit” with mediators to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, while noting that other key points remain under discussion, including the flow of aid and Israeli troop withdrawals.
“As part of its commitment to the success of the ongoing efforts, the movement has demonstrated the necessary flexibility and agreed to the release of 10 prisoners,” Hamas said in a statement, according to a translation of the group’s remarks by Al Jazeera.
Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, accused Israel of being reluctant to make concessions in talks to bring about a ceasefire in the long-running conflict, which was sparked when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking hostage around 250 more.
Israeli officials have reported that around 50 hostages remain captive, including 49 seized in the Oct. 7 attack and Hadar Goldin, who was killed in 2014 and whose body has yet to be returned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the 21-month war until Hamas is destroyed. Israeli officials have said they want to keep troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip, a condition that Hamas opposes.
Hamas said in its statement that it is continuing intensive efforts to ensure “success” in the negotiations, noting that several issues remain unresolved.
“The core issues remain under negotiation, most notably: the flow of aid, the withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, and the provision of genuine guarantees for a permanent ceasefire,” Hamas said, per Al Jazeera’s translation of the group’s statement.
The Hamas statement comes about a week after President Donald Trump announced a “final proposal” for a 60-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying he expected swift responses from both sides.
“My representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60-Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” Trump stated in a July 1 post on social media.
“The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this deal, because it will not get better — it will only get worse.”
On July 4, Hamas said it had delivered a “positive” response to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal, saying it was ready to engage in the talks “with all seriousness.”
Netanyahu, who met with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, said he shares Trump’s goal of a ceasefire in Gaza — but on condition that Israel’s security is guaranteed.
“President Trump and I have a common goal,” Netanyahu told reporters on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. “We want to achieve the release of our hostages. We want to end Hamas rule in Gaza. We want to make sure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel.”
“And pursuing this common goal, we have a common strategy. Not only do we have a common strategy, we have common tactics. This doesn’t involve pressure, doesn’t involve coercion, and involves coordination President Trump wants to do, but not at any price,” Netanyahu continued, adding that Israel has security requirements that must be met.
Israel’s military offensive against Hamas has devastated large swaths of Gaza. While Hamas has governed the territory for nearly two decades, it now retains control over only portions of the enclave amid intense fighting that has forced most of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents from their homes.
The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, says that more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, though the figures do not distinguish between fighters and civilians and cannot be independently verified.
