Hamas to Release Remaining Hostage if the Ceasefire Proceeds

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Hamas has expressed its willingness to release all remaining hostages in a single exchange, upon the ceasefire agreement with Israel advancing to its second phase next month.

This development follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent shift in stance, as he appointed Ron Dermer, a close adviser and former ambassador to the United States, to lead Israel’s negotiating team for the upcoming talks.

As phase one nears its conclusion, Hamas is set to return the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, including two young boys, followed by the release of six hostages on Sunday and the transfer of four more bodies next Thursday.

This will mark the end of the six-week ceasefire phase on March 1, leaving 58 hostages still in captivity, with Israel estimating that 34 of them are deceased.

The second phase of the agreement was initially designed to involve a gradual exchange of hostages and detainees. However, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu has stated that the group is now prepared to release all remaining hostages in a single handover.

“We have informed the mediators that Hamas is ready to release all hostages in one batch during the second phase of the agreement, rather than in stages, as in the current first phase,” he said as quoted on The Guardian.

Previously, Netanyahu has consistently resisted advancing to phase two, as it entails a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and the release of additional Palestinian prisoners.

He additionally has endorsed Donald Trump’s contentious proposal for the United States to assume control of Gaza and relocate its 2.2 million Palestinian residents—a plan that has been widely condemned in the region.

In response, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan have firmly opposed any forced displacement of Palestinians.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas