Hamas ready to free hostage, four bodies

Hamas on Friday said that it was ready to free an Israeli-American hostage and the remains of four others under the resumed Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

However, the Israeli prime minister’s office cast doubt on the offer, accusing the group of trying to manipulate talks underway in Qatar.

The Palestinian group didn’t specify when the release of solider Edan Alexander and the four bodies would take place, or what it expected to get in return.

Alexander was 19 when he was abducted from his base on the border with Gaza in southern Israel during the war.

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.

U.S. officials, including envoy Steve Witkoff, said Friday that they had presented a proposal Wednesday to extend the ceasefire a few more weeks as the sides negotiate a permanent truce.

“Yesterday, a Hamas leadership delegation received a proposal from the brotherly mediators to resume negotiations,” the Islamist movement 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.

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