Hamas is ready for a deal which will free all Israeli captives

Hamas has reaffirmed its willingness to reach a comprehensive Gaza agreement that would involve the release of all Israeli captives, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for their “immediate” return, The National via Reuters reported on September 4th.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Tell Hamas to immediately give back all 20 hostages (not two or five or seven), and things will change rapidly. It will end.”

In its statement, Hamas cited the mediators’ proposal which the group accepted on August 18th, which was initially based on U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s plan. Hamas expressed openness to a broader deal involving an exchange of all Israeli hostages for an agreed number of Palestinian detainees, intended to secure an end to the conflict and Israel’s withdrawal.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office dismissed the move as mere spin, insisting the war would only conclude once all hostages were freed, Hamas lays down its arms, Gaza was demilitarised, Israeli security control was restored, and a steady civilian government was set up. Hamas countered by calling Netanyahu the real obstacle to peace and exchange deals.

Support for a sustainable ceasefire continues to grow in the region. On August 25th, protestors in Israel called for both a halt in bombing campaigns, the release of hostages and for war crimes to stop.

With pressure mounting from Arab mediators and rising public dissent, the upcoming UN General Assembly may become a pivotal moment for shifting the current dynamics. Alongside negotiations over hostages and a ceasefire, momentum for Palestinian state recognition is also increasing. Belgium, France, and other Western nations have declared plans to recognise Palestine at the session in New York, a move framed as a response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.