Media Report: Hamas Conditions Release of Israeli Soldiers on Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza

29 November 2023

The Palestinian movement Hamas links negotiations for the release of captured Israeli soldiers to a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This information was reported by the Egyptian TV channel Al-Qahira al-Ikhbariya.

 

According to its information, Hamas confirmed that "the conditions for the release of the Israeli military will be different." In particular, the negotiations on the issue include discussions on "ending hostilities and lifting the siege" on the Strip.

 

Hamas politburo member Osama Hamdan clarified in a comment to Al Arabiya TV that "it is too early and difficult to talk about negotiations for the release of the military amid the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people and Israeli aggression." According to him, "the condition for this discussion is an end to the war."

 

Hamdan also confirmed that Hamas believes it is possible to extend the humanitarian truce for a few more days. "Extending the truce for additional days is possible, and the negotiation process is moving in two directions: the first is humanitarian, which involves releasing as many hostages as possible, and the second is political, related to ending the aggression and lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip, which would open the door to an exchange deal that would include all the hostages."

 

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid bin Mohammed al-Ansari said on November 27 that Israel and Hamas, with the help of mediators, had reached an agreement in principle to extend the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip for two more days. A spokesman for Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, Taher al-Nunu, told TASS that the new deal with Israel will be on the same terms, i.e. three Palestinian prisoners will be released daily until November 30 in exchange for each released Israeli hostage.

 

 

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Photo: David Berkowitz/Creative Commons 2.0

Based on materials from TASS