Offer to release US-Israeli hostage, Gaza truce bid on

GAZA STRIP: Hamas said on Friday it was ready to free an Israeli-American hostage and the remains of four others, after the Palestinian group and Israel resumed indirect Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

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Israel, however, said Hamas had "not budged" following a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

After more than 15 months of war, the first phase of a truce between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip ended on March 1 without agreement on the next steps. A senior Hamas official said on Tuesday that fresh talks had begun in Doha, with Israel also sending negotiators.

“Yesterday, a Hamas leadership delegation received a proposal from the brotherly mediators to resume negotiations,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

It said its reply “included its agreement to release the Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, who holds American citizenship, along with the remains of four others holding dual citizenship.” Hamas official Taher Al Nounou told AFP that all five are Israeli-Americans.

Witkoff was in Qatar this week. According to Israel, he earlier proposed an extension of the truce’s first phase through to mid-April.

The extension would see half of the hostages still in Gaza released on the day the deal comes into effect, with the rest to be released at the end if an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, Israel said.

Hamas has insisted on talks for the second phase of the deal brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.