Staff Reporter

Hamas has announced its readiness to release all Israeli hostages captured during its Oct. 7 attack, marking a breakthrough in the two-year conflict, but conditioned the broader peace deal on further negotiations.

The statement came just hours before a Sunday deadline set by US President Donald Trump, who had warned that rejection of his 20-point peace plan would result in unprecedented military action against the group.

Hamas expressed its agreement to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and deceased, in accordance with the exchange formula outlined in President Trump’s proposal, and contingent upon the necessary field conditions for carrying out the exchange.

This is the first time the group has shown an immediate readiness to release all remaining captives.

The Trump plan calls for the exchange of the roughly 48 remaining hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The group stated the hostage release must occur in a manner that ensures the cessation of the war and the full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

This condition directly clashes with a central Israeli war aim to maintain security control and eliminate Hamas’s military capabilities.

Hamas has offered to transfer administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body composed of independent technocrats.