Hamas’s decision to free the remaining hostages, subject to negotiations and the fulfillment of specific requirements, will provide much-needed optimism to the relatives in Israel who have been waiting a long time for this kind of news.
The organization pledged to “release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Donald Trump’s proposal, provided the field conditions for the exchange are met” in a statement in response to the US proposals for peace.
According to that formula, which Trump unveiled at the White House earlier this week, the violence must stop immediately, and all Israeli captives who are still alive and held by Hamas must be released within 72 hours.
Now, the Israeli authorities will be closely examining the statement’s language to determine its actual meaning. It must determine whether this is a ploy to buy time and resume protracted negotiations or whether it truly accepts some of the deal’s main features in good faith.
President Donald Trump’s final demand that Hamas accept by Sunday night or face “all hell” is likely to have caused some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet to become extremely skeptical. This is especially important in light of the US president’s recent appeal on Israel to cease bombing Gaza immediately.
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