Hamas also demanded the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages Photo: AP Hamas also demanded the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages Photo: AP

Hamas on Saturday said it will only release an American-Israeli and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have killed eight people, including a local reporter, according to medical sources.

A senior Hamas official stated that the long-delayed talks regarding the second phase of the ceasefire must begin on the same day as the release of hostages and be concluded within 50 days. Additionally, Israel would need to allow humanitarian aid to enter and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt.

Hamas also demanded the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

Edan Alexander, 21, from Tenafly, New Jersey, was abducted during Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, which sparked the war. He remains the last known American citizen held hostage in Gaza. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 35 of whom are believed to be dead.

Two Israeli airstrikes in the northern town of Beit Lahiya near the border killed at least eight people, including a local reporter who was operating a drone. The Indonesian Hospital confirmed receiving the bodies, and Fares Awad, a local health official, identified one of the dead as local reporter Mahmoud Islim. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

There has been no major fighting since the ceasefire took hold on January 19, but Israeli strikes have killed dozens of Palestinians who the military said had entered unauthorised areas, engaged in militant activities or otherwise violated the truce.

Israel Casts Doubt on Hamas' Offer

Israel has not immediately responded to Hamas' offer, as government offices were closed for the weekly Sabbath. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of engaging in "psychological warfare" after the initial offer, before the group clarified its conditions.

The United States announced on Wednesday that it had proposed extending the ceasefire for a few more weeks while both sides work toward a permanent truce. However, the U.S. stated that while Hamas appeared flexible publicly, it was privately making "entirely impractical" demands.

Negotiations have continued in Egypt, with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya arriving in Cairo on Friday. Egypt and Qatar have served as key mediators in the ceasefire talks and remain involved in efforts to restart the process.

Under the ceasefire agreement made in January, Israel and Hamas were supposed to begin negotiations on a second phase in early February. This phase would involve Hamas releasing all remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting truce, but so far,fef777 Cassinos ao Vivo Brasil only preparatory talks have been held.

After the first phase ended at the beginning of this month, Israel said it had agreed to a new US proposal in which Hamas would release half the remaining hostages in return for a vague commitment to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.

US Presents New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal To Israel, Hamas: Report

Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy trumped Salute Hockey Academy 5-1 with Priya producing a hat-trick in the third-place contest.

BY Outlook Web Desk

aaawin

Hamas rejected that offer, accusing Israel of backtracking on the signed agreement and trying to sabotage the truce.

Palestinian official says no fuel left for water wells

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 city of Rafah, on the Gaza-Egypt border, said it could no longer provide fuel needed to pump water from dozens of wells across the city.

Ahmed al-Sufi, head of the municipality, said fuel shortages caused by the Israeli siege have forced it to “suspend essential services, threatening the lives of thousands and exacerbating the health and environmental crisis”.

The first phase of the truce 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. Israel has cited the need to combat weapons smuggling.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals, while Israel has rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

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.

With inputs from AP999kkg