Israel Accuses Hamas of Withholding Hostage Status Despite Readiness to Free Them

Israel announced on Monday that Hamas had not yet confirmed the status of 34 hostages the group had previously indicated it was willing to release as part of a potential exchange deal. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have been involved in months-long efforts to broker a deal to end the war in Gaza. However, both sides have accused each other of obstructing the negotiations.

In recent days, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas have resumed, even as Israeli forces continue their attacks on Gaza. According to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Israel has yet to receive confirmation from Hamas regarding the status of the 34 hostages the group expressed readiness to free. The list of hostages was initially provided by Israel to the mediators in July 2024, not by Hamas.

A senior Hamas official confirmed late on Sunday that the group had agreed to release 34 Israeli prisoners, as part of the first phase of a proposed prisoner exchange. The official stated that the swap would include women, children, the elderly, and the sick, but Hamas required additional time to assess the condition of the hostages. Hamas also mentioned that it would take a week of calm to determine which captives were alive and which were dead. The official added that Hamas would release the hostages, whether they were alive or dead.

The war in Gaza began after a large-scale attack by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023, which led to the capture of 251 Israeli hostages, with 96 still in Gaza. Israel’s military reports that 34 of these hostages have died.

On Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called for a comprehensive agreement to secure the release of the hostages, emphasizing that more than half of them are still alive and need immediate care. They also urged for the return of those who were killed for proper burial.

There was a brief truce in November 2023 that saw 80 Israeli hostages freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons. As of now, neither Israel nor Hamas has provided detailed information about the ongoing negotiations in Doha. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Saturday that talks were taking place.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed optimism about a potential ceasefire deal, though he suggested it might only come after President Joe Biden leaves office on January 20. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on the same date, has promised stronger support for Israel and warned Hamas of severe consequences if the hostages are not released.

The situation remains tense, with Israeli airstrikes continuing to target Gaza. The latest strikes, including one that killed at least 11 people in northern Gaza, have escalated the death toll, with Israeli military actions having claimed the lives of 45,805 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to local health officials. The war began after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which left 1,208 people dead, mostly civilians.