Hamas has signalled its willingness to release all remaining hostages in Gaza in a single exchange during the second phase of the ceasefire deal.
Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group informed mediators of its readiness to free the hostages at once rather than in stages, as seen in phase one. “This step confirms our seriousness and readiness to move forward in resolving this issue,” he stated.
Under the current truce, 19 Israeli hostages have been freed in exchange for over 1,100 Palestinian prisoners. After this phase, 58 hostages will remain in Gaza. Hamas has also agreed to return the bodies of eight deceased hostages in two stages.
The second phase of the deal is expected to outline steps toward a permanent ceasefire, with negotiations set to begin this week.
