Hamas Ready to Release 34 Israeli Captives as Death Toll in Gaza Surpasses 45,800

Doha – As the devastating Israeli genocidal campaign in Gaza enters its fifteenth month, Hamas announced Sunday its willingness to release 34 Israeli captives during the “first phase” of a potential agreement, while casualty figures continue to mount in the besieged enclave.

A newly leaked list, published by Saudi outlet A-Sharq al-Awsat, details the 34 individuals slated for potential release.

The document includes twelve women and children, among them members of the Bibas family including 1-year-old Kfir and 5-year-old Ariel.

Additionally, eleven older men between the ages of 50 and 86 are named, alongside eleven men under 50 who are reported to have medical conditions.

The list also names two civilians who entered Gaza before the current genocide: Avera Mangestu and Hisham al-Sayed.

According to a Hamas official speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, the proposed list includes “all women, sick individuals, children, and elderly persons” among the Israeli captives.

The official emphasized that Hamas would require “approximately one week of calm to communicate with the captors and identify those who are alive or deceased.”

The occupation forces, through Netanyahu’s office, attempted to undermine this diplomatic initiative, claiming that “contrary to what has been announced, Hamas has not yet provided a list of captives.” Netanyahu’s spokesman dismissed progress reports as mere “spin,” despite multiple sources confirming advancement in negotiations.

Current diplomatic efforts in Qatar have intensified, with White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk already in Doha. Israeli Mossad chief David Barnea is expected to join the talks, though Tel Aviv continues to obstruct progress by refusing to commit to a permanent ceasefire.

The proposed agreement outlines a three-phase structure for the releases. The first phase would see the liberation of women, children, and those requiring medical attention, followed by a second phase involving the release of male captives of fighting age.

The final phase would address the transfer of remains of those who did not survive. Under this arrangement, Israel would be required to release Palestinian prisoners and pause its military operations in Gaza.

According to Haaretz newspaper, citing unnamed sources, Israel is showing increasing optimism about reaching an agreement, potentially circumventing Hamas’s demand for a complete end to the war through a partial deal structure.

However, Hamas maintains that any agreement must include a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

The Saudi Al-Hadath news outlet revealed that Israel is attempting to pressure Hamas leadership with offers of immunity and safe passage abroad in exchange for relinquishing their governance of Gaza Strip.

The proposal suggests installing “an independent Palestinian body” coordinated with the international community and overseen by a peacekeeping force similar to UNIFIL in Lebanon.

The Israeli onslaught

Meanwhile, as these negotiations proceed, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue their brutal campaign. Palestinian civil defense services reported Sunday at least 23 deaths from various Israeli strikes across the territory. In the northern Gaza Strip, a dawn airstrike claimed at least 11 lives, including women and children.

“The occupation uses the pretext of combatant presence to conduct violent airstrikes on residences sheltering dozens of displaced persons,” stated Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense.

The death toll has reached a staggering 45,805 people in Gaza, primarily civilians, according to the latest figures from the Health Ministry. This includes five individuals killed in an Israeli bombardment targeting the Abu Jarbou family home in the Nusseirat refugee camp.

Distressing footage captured by AFP shows rescue workers desperately transporting bodies and wounded civilians to hospitals following another devastating strike on the Bureij refugee camp near Nusseirat, while grieving family members wept over their loved ones wrapped in white shrouds.

Complex negotiations

The current negotiations face several obstacles, including disagreements over the permanent nature of any ceasefire and Gaza’s post-war governance. Israel has categorically opposed Hamas’s potential future role in governing the territory.

The last successful negotiation resulted in a week-long truce in late November 2023, during which 105 captives were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed optimism about eventually reaching a ceasefire agreement, though he acknowledged it might not materialize before President Biden leaves office on January 20. “We will work every minute of every day” until the end of the term to secure a hostage deal, Blinken stated in Seoul.

The conflict has sparked broader regional tensions. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah of violating the November 27 ceasefire terms, claiming the group had not withdrawn north of the Litani River.

Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Naim Qassem, warned Saturday that his movement stands ready to respond if Israel continues to breach the agreement.

The Israeli genocide in Gaza, which intensified following Hamas’s October 7 operation – a response to nearly eight decades of Israeli occupation and violations – has brought unprecedented devastation to the Palestinian territory.

The ongoing Israeli military campaign has reduced vast areas of Gaza to rubble, with systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure, homes, hospitals, and schools.

While 251 Israelis were initially taken to Gaza, 96 remain there, with 34 declared deceased by the occupation forces.

The conflict has also impacted the occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority reported Sunday the death of 17-year-old Moataz Ahmed Abdel-Wahab Madani during an Israeli military raid near a Nablus refugee camp.

Two other Palestinians sustained leg injuries from Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.