The remaining hostages abducted from Israel on October 7 will only be freed from captivity in Gaza under specific conditions set by Hamas, the terror group’s politburo head has said.
Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised address on Tuesday: “The enemy's prisoners will only be released on terms set by the resistance.”
On October 7, Hamas kidnapped an estimated 240 people. 105 hostages were later released during a six-day ceasefire at the end of November.
Over 120 hostages remain in Gaza but not all of them are believed to be alive.
Haniyeh said the terror group’s position was based on Israel agreeing to “a complete cessation of the aggression” against Palestinians in Gaza.
He also said that Israel would need to “help” Palestinians in Gaza and respond to their demands and claimed that the “resistance, leaders and fighters” were in good spirits and were “close to victory.”
In the same address, the senior Hamas official also said the group was open to a single Palestinian administration governing both Gaza and the West Bank.
Gaza has been under the rule of the terror group whereas the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority (PA) maintains administrative control of the West Bank.
"We have received numerous initiatives concerning the internal (Palestinian) situation and we are open to the idea of a national government for the West Bank and Gaza," Haniyeh said.
Haniyeh went on to say that Israel had “violated everything in its aggression against the Gaza Strip with the utmost barbarism and brutality.”
He concluded by saying the terror group had delivered its position to Qatar and Egypt, countries that have previously played a part in hostage release negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the demands set out by Hamas were a “slightly softened” position.