Hamas says it offered to release Edan Alexander, an Israeli soldier who has US citizenship, and the bodies of four other double citizens.
However, two officials of the group told Reuters news agency that the release was conditional at the beginning of the discussions on the second phase of a ceasefire and the upliftment of a total blockade imposed by Israel two weeks ago.
Mr. Alexander, 21, of the US state of New Jersey, was 19 when he was taken from his base on the border with Gaza in southern Israel during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
It is believed that he is the last living American hostage to be held in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, told reporters that achieving his release was a ‘top priority’, while US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler has met Hamas leaders over the past few days.
Hamas said it takes action after being contacted by mediators on negotiations for the second phase of a peace agreement.
The group, which runs Gaza and describes itself as an ‘Islamic resistance movement’, said it “responded responsibly and positively”.
It is also mentioned that ‘complete readiness to start negotiating and reaching a comprehensive agreement on the issues of the second phase’.
Donald Trump posed last year with family members of Edan Alexander in New York. Lying Photo: AP
It called on the ‘occupation’ (Israel) to ‘fully implement its obligations’.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said Hamas had “not hampered a millimeter” and was engaged in “manipulation and psychological warfare”.
Israel pushed Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in exchange for an extension of the first phase of the peace agreement, and a promise to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.
Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others.
Fighting has been discontinued in Gaza since January 19 under the first phase of a truce of three divisions, during which Hamas 33 exchanged Israeli hostages and five Thais for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
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But when the first phase ended on March 2, the two parties could not agree to start the second one.
Israel offered to expand the first phase, while Hamas said it would be resurrected again under the second phase, during which Israel is needed to discuss the withdrawal of troops and a permanent end to the war.
Israel blocked the entry of all supply trucks on March 2, while Hamas called on Egyptian and Qatari mediators
to intervene.
