Hamas Offers 5-Year Truce For Hostage Release

Hamas has indicated a willingness to agree to a five-year truce in exchange for the release of all hostages held by the group, a senior official revealed Saturday as negotiations with mediators resumed in Cairo. The potential agreement represents a significant, though preliminary, development in efforts to end the 18-month conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The Hamas delegation is currently in talks with Egyptian mediators, seeking a pathway to a lasting ceasefire. This comes amidst ongoing violence, including an Israeli strike on a family home in Gaza City that reportedly killed at least ten people, with many more feared trapped under the rubble.

According to the Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the group is prepared to release all hostages in a single exchange, coupled with a five-year truce. This proposal follows an Israeli offer, previously rejected by Hamas as insufficient, which proposed a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of ten living hostages. Hamas has consistently demanded a complete end to the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a substantial increase in humanitarian aid as preconditions for any agreement.

Israel, however, insists on the return of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas – a demand the group has labeled a “red line.” The current impasse highlights the deep chasm between the two sides’ core demands.

The situation on the ground remains dire. Rescue workers continue to sift through the debris of bombed buildings, while aid organizations warn of a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis. The UN’s World Food Programme recently announced it has exhausted its remaining food stocks in Gaza, warning that kitchens providing meals will soon be unable to operate. The World Health Organization has also reported critical shortages of medical supplies.

Despite these warnings, Israel maintains that there is no hunger in Gaza and that restrictions on aid are intended to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages. This stance has drawn criticism from aid agencies and foreign governments.

A previous truce, brokered by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, began on January 19th and allowed for increased aid deliveries and exchanges of hostages and prisoners. However, it collapsed due to disagreements over the terms of a subsequent phase. Israel resumed bombing Gaza on March 18th, followed by a ground offensive.

Since then, at least 2,111 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to 51,495, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The initial Hamas attack on October 7th resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 251 people, 58 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military believes are deceased.

The willingness of Hamas to consider a five-year truce, while conditional, offers a potential, albeit fragile, opening for renewed negotiations. However, bridging the gap between the group’s demands and Israel’s stated objectives will require significant compromise from both sides. The escalating humanitarian crisis and continued violence underscore the urgent need for a lasting resolution to this protracted conflict. It’s a precarious situation, and the international community must intensify its efforts to facilitate meaningful dialogue and prevent further loss of life.