Hamas has confirmed it presented Israel with a list of Palestinian detainees it seeks released, in exchange for the liberation of hostages in Gaza.
Tahir Al-Nono, the group’s political media advisor, stated that “a sense of optimism is evident” concerning the current peace deal negotiations, which are still underway today in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
“The discussions have centered on the methods for enacting a ceasefire, the retreat of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the swap of prisoners,” Al-Nono noted in a statement released on Wednesday.
The talks are occurring one day following the second anniversary of the Hamas assault on Israel, an occasion observed with memorial ceremonies and demonstrations in various nations.
In accordance with President Donald Trump’s directive, all remaining hostages in Gaza are to be freed. Forty-eight hostages are believed to still be held within the Palestinian territory, with 20 of them thought to be alive. In return, Israel is set to release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, alongside an additional 1,700 Gazans detained following October 7, 2023.
Global leaders, including Trump, have also voiced their positive outlook regarding the continuing discussions, which are being conducted indirectly between Hamas and Israeli representatives.
“I believe there’s a potential for peace in the Middle East, even extending beyond the Gaza conflict,” Trump commented at the White House on Tuesday, further stating: “We are on the verge of finalizing an agreement in the Middle East,” concerning the current negotiations.
A U.S. delegation, featuring Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, was expected to participate in the discussions. Egyptian President Abdeh Fattah al-mentioned “very encouraging things” about the negotiations happening in his nation.
Turkey is also seeking to further support the negotiations. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated on Wednesday that he has been in communication with Hamas to outline the optimal strategy for establishing a future Palestinian state, though he cautioned that the responsibility for reaching an agreement should not fall exclusively on the Palestinians.
“Peace is not a bird with just one wing,” he informed reporters following a visit to Azerbaijan. Erdoğan indicated that Turkish officials were engaged in the negotiations, after being asked by Trump to persuade Hamas to accept
The disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from any future governance in Gaza constitute crucial elements of the peace blueprint, while the issue of and its acknowledgment by the U.S. and Israel continues to be vague.
have denounced the recent choice by several Western countries to acknowledge Palestinian statehood.
“It’s as if to incite ongoing conflict, some members of this body are striving to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” was asserted at the United Nations General Assembly in September. “The benefits for Hamas terrorists for their cruel acts would be too significant. This would serve as a reward for these terrible atrocities, including October 7,” he added.
Trump conveyed a similar perspective during his own address at the U.N. in New York days afterward.
“When the planet’s most brutal terrorists are exclusively commending your choice, you haven’t acted correctly; you’ve acted erroneously, dreadfully so,” he declared. “Your shameful resolution will promote terrorism against Jews and innocent individuals globally. It will represent a mark of dishonor for all of you.”
The Israeli Prime Minister has also faced appeals from within his cabinet to “permit a total triumph in Gaza.”
In a controversial action, far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was seen in Jerusalem on Wednesday, photographed within the confines of the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa mosque, a location holding profound religious significance for both Islam and Judaism.
“We are the proprietors of the Temple Mount. My sole prayer is that our Prime Minister will also authorize a full victory in Gaza – to eradicate Hamas, with divine assistance to retrieve the hostages, and we shall attain an absolute triumph,” he stated.
Notwithstanding increasing hope for the prosperity of current peace discussions, Israel has persisted with its military operations in Gaza, even subsequent to . The most recent daily figures from released on Monday indicate that 21 individuals lost their lives in the preceding 24-hour span.
By October 7, more than have perished over the past two years, according to the ministry. Israel initiated its incursion into Gaza following a Hamas terrorist assault on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of almost 1,200 individuals and the capture of approximately 250 hostages.
Lacking independent oversight on the ground, the ministry functions as the main provider of casualty information, which is used by humanitarian organizations, reporters, and global entities. Its statistics do not distinguish between non-combatants and fighters and cannot be independently confirmed by TIME. The Israeli army’s own casualty counts imply.
