Gaza: A senior Hamas official said Sunday that some of the six Israeli hostages found dead in a Gaza tunnel were on a list approved for release as part of a proposed truce deal. The official, speaking under terms of anonymity, said that those hostages were to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Hamas Official Claims Hostages Were Approved for Release
The Hamas official said that some of the hostages that were lately found dead by the Israeli forces were actually supposed to be released in return for Palestinian prisoners. That was revealed after the bodies of six hostages found in a tunnel in Rafah, Gaza, were discovered by Israeli forces.Hostage Release Included in Proposed Truce Deal
The unnamed Hamas official said the hostages’ names were on a list that Hamas had approved to be released as part of a cease-fire agreement that would have included the release of Palestinian prisoners currently in Israel. He said all had been planned before the hostages were found dead.Secretive Hamas Negotiations Amid Escalating Conflict
These details came from a Hamas official who spoke on condition of anonymity, a reflection of the delicacy in both negotiations and conflict. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly and so represents the complex and secretive dynamics at play in the hostage situation.Hostage Crisis Sees Tensions Rise
In the continuing war between Israelis and Hamas, hostility has ebbed and flowed with high numbers of casualties on both sides. The revelation that some hostages were set for release is another layer of complexity added to a tenser situation.
The claim by a senior Hamas official that some of the recently discovered dead Israeli hostages were cleared for release as part of the truce deal underlines how tragic and convoluted the conflict is. As negotiations continued behind the scenes, the situation remains fluid, and the fates of many hostages are yet to be determined.