Senior Hamas official Khalil Al Hayya has reiterated that the group will not release Israeli hostages unless Israel ceases its military operations in Gaza, withdraws its forces, and releases Palestinian prisoners. Al Hayya, the chief negotiator for Hamas, outlined these demands as preconditions for any potential hostage release.
Al Hayya, who serves as Hamas’s chief negotiator, outlined these conditions as non-negotiable for any potential hostage release.
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In his statement, Al Hayya also paid tribute to Yahya Sinwar, a prominent Hamas leader, referring to him as a martyr who resisted Israeli forces. Sinwar’s death has been a significant loss for Hamas, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized that the war in Gaza will continue, reaffirming that Israel’s military mission remains incomplete.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a high-level security meeting to discuss the progress of a potential hostage deal with Hamas. The meeting, to be held at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, will include government ministers and security officials, taking place just a day after Israel confirmed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a drone strike.
Sinwar’s death, initially viewed as a potential turning point toward ending the war, has not shifted Israel’s military strategy. While world leaders have urged for a ceasefire following the hostage negotiations, Netanyahu declared that Sinwar’s killing marks “the beginning of the end” for Hamas.
U.S. President Joe Biden, informed of Sinwar’s death during his flight to Berlin aboard Air Force One, praised the strike, stating, “This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.” He further likened the moment to the relief felt in the U.S. after the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 under President Obama’s directive.
Despite the global calls for de-escalation, Netanyahu’s latest remarks suggest that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza will continue.
