Hostage deal talks make slow progress as Hamas said to be ready for release of 10 Israeli hostages

Israeli officials estimate that there has been a significant shift in the position of Hamas regarding the renewal of a hostage deal and are cautiously optimistic about the prospects of an agreement, following the Witkoff outline, Israeli media reported on Monday.

Since the end of the second hostage release deal in late February, negotiations have been deadlocked, with Israel insisting on the Witkoff outline, which includes the release of 11 hostages, while the Hamas terrorist organization insisted on releasing fewer.

The Saudi al-Arabiya network reports that there is now “an initial agreement to increase the number of hostages” to be released by Hamas. According to the report, a new draft proposal is being prepared, and a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday to continue negotiations.

In addition, the terror group in Gaza will report on the condition of the remaining hostages, while discussions over the fate of the Hamas leaders remaining in Gaza will be postponed.

The progress was attributed to heavy Israeli military pressure combined with U.S. assurances. According to the report, the Trump administration promised that if Hamas agreed to release more than eight hostages, it would guarantee that Israel would enter negotiations for a second phase and a permanent ceasefire.

Over the Passover holiday weekend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family of the Israeli hostage Eitan Mor, the Prime Minister's Office stated on Sunday night.

Netanyahu informed the family that current negotiations are centered on the release of 10 hostages in a single batch. In response, the family, who are members of the Tikva Forum, reiterated their demand for the immediate release of all remaining hostages at once and voiced opposition to any deal involving multiple waves of releases.

According to Ynet News, the current proposal envisions the release of 9 to 10 Israeli hostages, along with approximately 10 bodies of deceased hostages. The IDF estimates that 59 hostages remain in captivity, including around 24 who are believed to be alive.

A Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya traveled to Cairo on Sunday, where Egyptian mediators are expecting a formal response to Israel’s latest proposal.

Hamas Spokesman Taher al-Nunu told the Arabic news outlet Asharq it is prepared for a “serious” prisoner exchange, ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal.

On the other hand, al-Nunu reiterated that the terror group wouldn’t disarm: “Hamas’s weapons, and those of other factions, are not up for negotiation".

According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Hamas is also demanding “strong guarantees” that an agreement will include a transition to a second phase that outlines a path to end the war.

Despite cautiously optimistic reports in recent days, a senior Palestinian source told Sky News Arabic on Monday that the negotiations could collapse again as Hamas continues to insist on an Israeli commitment to ending the war.

The Israeli government has declared the destruction of Hamas in Gaza as a precondition for ending the war and withdrawing its troops from Gaza.

The Palestinian source also claimed that Hamas agreed to relinquish power and hand over governance of the enclave to the Palestinian Authority’s Gaza Management Committee, with the intention of transitioning into a political party.

Somewhat contradicting its earlier statements, the source added that the U.S. had offered to guarantee an Israeli commitment to an end to the war. However, Hamas rejected the offer, stating it does not trust any guarantees made on behalf of the Israeli government.