Hamas: “We are not the ones obstructing the release agreement.” Israel: 43 of the 120 hostages still in the Strip are dead

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas does not hinder the agreement for the release of the hostages and to reach a truce in the Gaza Strip. The media reported it Hamas, quoting Sami Abu Zuhri, a leading exponent of the Islamist movement. “It is not Hamas that is obstructing the deal,” he said, adding that Israel is not serious about reaching a deal in Gaza, and is still acting under the cover of the United States, “despite the fact that the White House knows that the issue is with (Israel) )”. The statement comes as delegations from Hamas and Israel are expected in Cairo to restart indirect negotiations.

Meanwhile, Israel believes that more than a third of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip are dead. This was reported by the Israeli newspaper “Jerusalem Post”, citing a government tally. According to estimates, 120 people are still held hostage by armed groups in Gaza, 43 of whom have been reported dead in absentia based on various sources of information, including intelligence reports, video and forensic analysis. On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and other affiliated groups kidnapped over 250 people in Israel and dragged them to Gaza. A few dozen hostages were released at the end of November as part of an agreement between Hamas and Israel, during which the fighting was suspended.

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