Hamas proposes release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners in ‘one go’ to end Gaza war

Palestinian militant group rejects Israel’s call for disarmament

Relatives and supporters of hostages protest in Tel Aviv on Monday, to mark 500 days since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and took hostages. Reuters

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Hamas on Wednesday proposed exchanging all Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees in "one go" during the second phase of the ceasefire deal to bring a permanent end to fighting and complete the withdrawal of Israel's forces from Gaza.

The group also confirmed it would increase the number of hostages to be released in the next swap on Saturday from three to six. "Doubling the number of prisoners to be released was done in response to a request from the mediators and to prove our seriousness in implementing all the terms of the agreement," said Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman.

In exchange, Israel will free Palestenian detainees serving "life sentences and long sentences," he added. In addition to the six living hostages, Hamas announced on Tuesday it would hand over the bodies of four hostages, including members of the Bibas family who have become symbols in Israel of the October 7, 2023 attack. Hamas militants captured Yarden and Shiri Bibas and their two children – Ariel, who was four when he was kidnapped, and baby Kfir, who was nine months old. Yarden was released on February 1.

Hamas said Shiri and her young sons were killed in an Israeli air strike early in the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said an understanding was reached in Cairo, under which the six living hostages will be released on Saturday. It confirmed that four bodies will be handed over this Thursday and another four next week.

"We are ready for a second stage in which the prisoners will be exchanged in one go with the criteria of reaching an agreement that leads to a permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal from the Strip," Mr Qassem said. Hamas has accused Israel of evading negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, which were supposed to begin on February 4.

Qatar, which is mediating between Hamas and Israel, together with the US and Egypt, said the talks have not officially started. Israel had given mixed signals about its engagement in negotiations for the second stage of the three-phased truce which came into force on January 19. The initial phase of the ceasefire, which includes a 42-day pause in fighting and the return of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees, has remained on track despite a series of setbacks and accusations of violations that threatened to derail it.

"It will happen this week," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told a press conference in Jerusalem.

Negotiations for the second stage are expected to be tough because they include sticking points such as the administration of post-war Gaza, as disagreements between Hamas and Israel remain.

Israel has repeatedly stated that disarmament and removal of Hamas from the Gaza Strip are conditions for an end to the war.

"We will not accept the continued presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organisation in Gaza," Mr Saar said.

But, in the same statement, Mr Qassem rejected the proposal. "The occupation’s condition of removing Hamas from the Gaza Strip is a ridiculous psychological war, and the withdrawal or disarmament of the resistance from Gaza is unacceptable," he said.

Hamas has voiced openness to the possibility of a power-sharing agreement with the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian parties, but rejected a full handover. "We have no objection to the [Palestinian] Authority's participation and supervision, but the notion of a full handover is baseless and unrealistic," Ayman Shannaa, a member of Hamas's political leadership in Lebanon, told The National on Tuesday.