Hamas says it will only release American-Israeli hostage if truce
agreement is implemented
[March 15, 2025]
By SAMY MAGDY
CAIRO (AP) — Hamas said Saturday it would only release an
American-Israeli and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel
implements the existing ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling
it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.
A senior Hamas official said long-delayed talks over the ceasefire's
second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no
longer than 50 days. Israel would also need to stop barring the entry of
humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza's
border with Egypt.
Hamas would also demand the release of more Palestinian prisoners in
exchange for hostages, said the official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks.
Edan Alexander, 21, who grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, was abducted
from his military base during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited
the war, and is the last living American citizen held in Gaza.
Israel has cast doubt on Hamas' offer
There was no immediate comment from Israel, where government offices
were closed for the weekly Sabbath. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s office on Friday accused Hamas of “manipulation and
psychological warfare” when the offer was initially made, before Hamas
spelled out the conditions.
The United States said it presented on Wednesday a proposal to extend
the ceasefire a few more weeks as the sides negotiate a permanent truce.
It said Hamas was claiming flexibility in public while privately making
“entirely impractical” demands.
Negotiations continued in Egypt after senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya
arrived in Cairo on Friday. Egypt and Qatar served as key mediators with
Hamas in reaching the ceasefire and have continued to host talks aimed
at getting it back on track.
There was no immediate comment from the mediators.
A ceasefire in limbo
Under the ceasefire agreement reached in January, Israel and Hamas were
to begin negotiations over a second phase — in which Hamas would release
all the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting truce — in early
February, but so far only preparatory talks have been held.
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After the first phase ended at the beginning of this month, Israel
said it had agreed to a new U.S. proposal in which Hamas would
release half the remaining hostages in return for a vague commitment
to negotiate a lasting ceasefire. Hamas rejected that offer,
accusing Israel of backtracking on the signed agreement and trying
to sabotage the truce.
Israel has barred the delivery of food, fuel and other supplies to
Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians, and cut electricity to the
territory, to pressure Hamas to accept the new proposal.
The first phase of the truce, which took hold on Jan. 19, saw the
release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in
exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces
pulled back to a buffer zone along Gaza's border and allowed a surge
of humanitarian aid.
An Israeli official said last month that Israel will not withdraw
from the so-called Philadelphi corridor, along the Gaza-Egypt
border, as called for in the ceasefire agreement. They have cited
the need to combat weapons smuggling.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel
on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and
taking 251 hostage. The group is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of
whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were freed in
ceasefire agreements.
Israel's military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians,
mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry,
which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says
it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced most of the
population and left nearly everyone dependent on international aid
to survive.
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