Hamas has announced it is responding to mediators’ requests to discuss a new cease-fire proposal and finalize a hostage swap deal in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed in a news conference that the group has engaged in “some meetings” on the matter, with plans for additional talks in the coming days.
Abu Zuhri stated that Hamas is open to any agreement that would end the suffering of Gaza’s population.
He emphasized conditions including a full cease-fire, an end to Israel’s blockade, and significant support for Gaza’s reconstruction and relief efforts.
Israel estimates that 101 hostages remain in Gaza, some of whom may have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Mediation efforts led by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have not yet achieved a cease-fire.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, ongoing since a Hamas-led incursion last October, has killed over 43,000 people and injured more than 101,000, according to local health authorities.
The UN has called for an immediate cease-fire, as conditions in Gaza deteriorate under blockade restrictions.