Israel: There Will Be No Ceasefire In Gaza Without Hostage Release

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Saar/PHOTO via Instagram @gideonsaar

JAKARTA - Israel is now more optimistic about the possible deal to release hostages in Gaza. Hamas has asked for a list of all hostages still detained by militant groups in Palestine.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said indirect negotiations were being carried out regarding the repatriation of around 100 hostages and, although it was too early to confirm, his prospects had improved.

"I hope we will achieve it," Saar said at a news conference in Jerusalem.

"There will be no ceasefire in Gaza without an agreement to release the hostages," Saar stressed.

A Palestinian official familiar with the mediation effort said Hamas had asked other factions in Gaza to start listing the names of Israeli hostages and foreigners in their detention, either alive or dead.

The official gave no further details on the mediation effort but said mediators, backed by the United States, had increased contact with Israel and Hamas.

Hamas officials declined to comment.

An official militant group allied with Hamas expressed hope that negotiations could produce an agreement.

Hamas gunmen took more than 250 people hostage back to Gaza after their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 44,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza afterwards, Gaza's health authorities said.

Several hostages' families voiced cautious optimism after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

Netanyahu told them the time had come for an agreement to release the hostages, the Hostage Forum and the Missing Family said.

Each side accuse each other of preventing an agreement from reaching, but Saar said the previous Hamas position "may have changed in recent times".