June 16, 2025
CAIRO (AP) — Hamas said Saturday it will only release an American-Israeli and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.
Edan Alexander, 21, who grew up in New Jersey, was abducted from his military base during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack that ignited the war. He is the last living U.S. citizen held in Gaza. Hamas still has 59 hostages, 35 believed to be dead.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Saturday told negotiators to prepare for the continuation of talks regarding the release of hostages, his office said.
The United States said it presented on Wednesday a proposal to extend the ceasefire a few weeks as the sides negotiate a permanent truce. It said Hamas, which the U.S. government designates as a terrorist group, was claiming flexibility in public while privately making “entirely impractical” demands.
Talks continued in Egypt, which, along with Qatar has served as mediators with Hamas in the indirect talks with Israel.
Israel and Hamas were to begin negotiations on the ceasefire's second phase in early February, but only preparatory talks have been held. In Phase Two, Hamas would release all remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting truce.
The first phase saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces pulled back to a buffer zone along Gaza’s border and allowed a surge of humanitarian aid.
After the first phase ended early this month, Israel said it had agreed to a new U.S. proposal in which Hamas would release half the remaining hostages in return for a vague commitment to negotiate a lasting ceasefire. Hamas rejected that offer.
Netanyahu's office said in a statement that he held in-depth discussions with the negotiating team and security officials on Saturday evening. Afterward, he told the negotiating team to prepare for continued talks as per the mediator's response to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal, the statement said.
The war began when Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. Most have been released in deals, while Israel rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.
