Hamas agrees to release 10 living hostages in response to US-led Gaza ceasefire deal
Hamas has agreed to release ten living hostages and return the bodies of 18 others in exchange for Israel's return of a number of Palestinian prisoners.
The militant group said on Saturday that the agreement comes following a US proposal for a temporary ceasefire.
Hamas said it has responded to the ceasefire proposal by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but did not make clear what its exact response was.
A senior Hamas official told The Associated Press that 'there are some notes and amendments to some points, especially on the US guarantees, the timing of hostage release, the delivery of aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.' The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
A separate Hamas statement said the proposal aims for a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an ensured flow of aid.
It said ten living hostages and the bodies of 18 others would be released "in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.'
Israeli officials have approved the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the nearly 20-month war, with Trump saying negotiators were nearing a deal.
Negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire would begin immediately on the first day of the 60-day truce, according to the draft proposal, backed by both Israel and the US.
The terms of the agreement would also allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza 'immediately' and be distributed 'through agreed upon channels,' including the United Nations and the Red Crescent, according to the proposal.
But the draft agreement contained no intrinsic guarantee of a permanent end to the war, a key Hamas demand, nor assurances that the ceasefire will be extended as long as negotiations continue. Instead, it said that US President Donald Trump is 'committed to working to ensure that good faith negotiations continue until a final agreement is reached.'Hamas had initially signalled reluctance to accept the terms of the deal. Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said on Facebook Thursday that the framework did 'not respond to any of our people's demands' but that discussions were underway, nonetheless.
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