Hamas official: We agreed to release 10 Israeli captives to ensure aid delivery, halt war

A senior official in the Hamas movement, Taher Al-Nounou, has confirmed that the group has agreed to release 10 Israeli captives currently held in Gaza in order to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid and bring an end to the ongoing war on the Strip.

In remarks made to the press on Wednesday, Al-Nounou said that Hamas is showing a high degree of flexibility during the current negotiations taking place in the Qatari capital, Doha, and is responding positively to mediators. 

He noted that this round of talks faces serious challenges, but stressed that the movement remains committed to its core demands, foremost among them the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a comprehensive end to the aggression.

He emphasised that Hamas’s primary goal in any negotiations is to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and stop what he described as “the crime of genocide”, while also ensuring that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza freely and with dignity.

Al-Nounou pointed out that the flexibility Hamas has demonstrated in dealing with proposals from mediators has been one of the main reasons for progress in the talks. He confirmed that the decision to release the Israeli prisoners falls within this humanitarian and political context.

Stressing the importance of international guarantees, Al-Nounou noted that the United States holds real leverage over Israel to end the war, and could compel it to adhere to any agreement reached—if it exercises the political will to do so.

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