Israel demands 10 living hostages, but Hamas will only release 5 – What’s behind the standoff?

In ongoing negotiations, Israel has demanded the release of 10 living hostages held by Hamas, but the terror group has agreed to free only five. Among the hostages Hamas has pledged to release are American-Israeli dual citizen Edan Alexander and four other individuals, some of whom are still alive. These developments come amid efforts led by Egypt to broker a ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

According to Egyptian sources, Hamas has accepted a proposal for a ceasefire, under which humanitarian supplies will be delivered to Gaza, and further negotiations will take place on the second phase of the deal. However, Hamas' agreement to release only five hostages has fallen short of Israel's demands, which included the release of 10 living individuals. The specific conditions under which some hostages are still alive remain unclear.

Additionally, the report states that Hamas rejected a proposal from the United States that offered senior Hamas leaders the opportunity to leave Gaza in exchange for a promise of safety from Israel. The U.S. had proposed that members of Hamas’ leadership, including figures such as Mohammed Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Mohammed Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade, and Iz a-Din Haddad, commander of the Gaza Brigade, could leave the region with financial compensation if they accepted the offer. Hamas' refusal to the U.S. proposal underscores the ongoing tensions between the parties as ceasefire talks continue.

As negotiations unfold, the situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected in the coming days, with the potential for additional hostage releases and a deeper humanitarian crisis in Gaza.