Hamas Promised to Release Hostages on the Day of Truce

  

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and thousands of Gazans seen outside the house of Sinwar in Khan Younis, Gaza, where two Israeli hostages, Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Moses, along with 5 Thai hostages were released to the Red Cross as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas, January 30, 2025.

(photo credit: Abed Rahim Khaatib/Flash90)

Hamas on Monday addressed the new US-backed hostage-ceasefire proposal conveyed through Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin and Dr. Bishara Bahbah, saying that there are several roadblocks that need to be addressed to reach a deal, sources from the terror group told Asharq al Awsat on Monday. 

Qatari Prime Minister Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani reportedly pressed Hamas leaders to "respond positively" to the latest US-proposed plan during talks in Doha on Monday, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters. 

Hamas sources said that the proposal presented to them contains "many traps and pitfalls that need to be dismantled," adding that they are focused on a deal that would end the war. 

The terror group added that it would be difficult to release several hostages already on the first day of a deal, as some hostages were killed in locations where the IDF would need to halt fire in order to extract them from under the rubble in areas where they were killed, or from places where they were buried after Israeli forces entered, Asharq al Awsat reported. 

According to the Hamas sources, the current discussions do not mention an Israeli withdrawal from critical corridors, such as the Philadelphi Corridor, or reopening the Rafah crossing. The terrorist group told Asharq al Awsat that they are seeking guarantees to reach the war's end, backed by guarantor countries such as the US.