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As Israel awaits Hamas’ response to an Egyptian-mediated proposal for the release of nine to 10 hostages, families of those held captive are calling on the Israeli government to pursue a deal that would secure the release of all hostages at once, warning that a phased release risks lives and delays critical progress.
The current proposal under discussion reportedly includes a two-phase release of hostages. However, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Monday that such a plan would waste “precious time” and place all hostages in greater danger.
“While families wait and hope for the release of each and every hostage from Hamas captivity, the reality is that partial releases are a dangerous concept,” the forum said in a statement. “Government officials continue to speak of increasing military pressure to free all the hostages, yet in practice negotiations are stuck, hostages’ lives are at risk, and fallen soldiers’ bodies are disappearing.”
The statement concluded with a demand for an immediate, comprehensive deal: “The State of Israel is obligated to bring them all back. We demand the only reasonable and viable solution: an end to the war and the immediate return of all hostages together, in a single phase.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gal Hirsch, Israel’s envoy for hostage affairs, held a phone call with Zvika and Efrat Mor, whose son Eitan has been held by Hamas for 556 days. The call was intended to update the family on the latest developments in the negotiations, which officials said were focused on a deal to secure the release of 10 living hostages.
According to the Tikvah Forum, in which the Mor family is active, Netanyahu emphasized during the call that the deal was not yet finalized but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bringing back all hostages. The Mor family reiterated their position that all captives should be released together, “on one bus and without selection.”
Reports in Saudi television outlet Al-Arabiya late Sunday suggested some progress had been made in the negotiations. Citing unnamed sources, the outlet said there is “initial agreement” from Hamas to increase the number of hostages it is willing to release. The report indicated that Hamas is preparing to submit a detailed list of hostages and agree to a two-phase release plan based on specific timelines.
The discussions reportedly postponed negotiations over the fate of senior Hamas leaders still in Gaza until a later stage. Hamas has also demanded “strong guarantees” that Israel will not resume military operations following any agreement.
Al-Arabiya also reported that the United States has told mediators it will pressure Israel to accept the emerging agreement. The proposed deal includes provisions for expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza and the reopening of border crossings.
Mediators are said to be in the final stages of drafting a cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement, with hopes of securing a deal by the end of the month.
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London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that a Hamas delegation in Cairo has demanded firm assurances that Israel will not return to fighting. According to the report, Hamas and other Palestinian factions reached a consensus during internal consultations that there will be no “temporary pauses” in hostilities, citing concerns of renewed fighting following an initial exchange.
Sources quoted in the report said they expect Israel to escalate its military activity in the coming days in an effort to pressure Hamas into a deal.