Israel Demands Release of All Hostages, Vows ‘Decisive Phase’ Against Hamas
Israel demands all hostages' release, vows "decisive phase" against Hamas after group accepts Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal. Qatar says plan is "almost identical" to one Israel previously approved, urging deal to avert "humanitarian catastrophe."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Israel on Tuesday demanded the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza, declaring it has entered what it called the “decisive stage” of its war against Hamas, one day after the group accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s policy “remains unchanged,” stressing that the release of all 50 hostages is a non-negotiable demand.
“We are in the phase of making a final decision on Hamas, and we will not leave any hostage behind,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
An Israeli official also confirmed that the government’s position aligns with the principles set by the security cabinet to bring an end to the war in Gaza.
On Monday, Hamas announced its agreement to the new ceasefire initiative presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, signaling readiness to de-escalate after months of devastating conflict.
The movement, along with allied Palestinian factions, confirmed it had conveyed its acceptance of the proposal to the mediators, describing it as a step toward ending hostilities.
Qatar said Tuesday that the Gaza ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas was “almost identical” to a version previously approved by Israel, raising hopes for a breakthrough after months of deadlock in negotiations.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari described Hamas’s response as “very positive” and confirmed the plan was drafted jointly by Qatar and Egypt with U.S. backing.
“It truly was almost identical to what the Israeli side had previously agreed to,” he said, though he declined to detail the modifications. Al-Ansari stressed the urgency of the moment, warning: “If we don’t reach a deal now, we will face a humanitarian catastrophe that will make all those that preceded it pale in comparison.”
The plan reportedly includes a two-month truce, the staggered release of hostages, and expanded humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. Egyptian officials confirmed that Cairo and Doha finalized the draft in line with a U.S. framework originally introduced by Washington’s Middle East envoy, Steve Whitkoff.
Egyptian State Information Service chief Diaa Rashwan told Al-Qahera News that mediators had submitted the finalized proposal to Israel. “The ball is now in its court,” he said.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim confirmed in a Facebook post that the group had formally accepted the plan, writing: “We pray to God to extinguish the fire of this war on our people.” A Hamas source also told AFP that the organization approved the terms “without requesting any amendments.”
The Gaza conflict, now in its 22nd month, began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel. The Israeli military campaign that followed has left tens of thousands dead, displaced much of Gaza’s population, and triggered repeated warnings of famine and disease from aid agencies.
Two previous ceasefires collapsed without delivering a lasting solution. Whether this latest initiative will succeed remains uncertain, but mediators expressed cautious optimism that Hamas’s acceptance of a proposal already endorsed by Israel could provide a rare opening toward ending the war.
