We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey that Hamas is ready for an agreement on a ceasefire and a serious agreement on prisoner exchange, says the Hamas representative, adding that Israel has previously prevented such agreements.
After Hamas' large-scale attack on Israel on October 7 last year, which triggered the ongoing Gaza war, repeated attempts have been made to achieve a pause in the fighting.
A week-long ceasefire took place last year, during which dozens of Hamas hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Around 1,200 mostly civilian Israelis were killed in Hamas' attack on October 7 last year, and over 200 people were taken hostage. Israel responded by declaring war. They have besieged Gaza, bombed the area continuously, and sent in ground troops to eliminate Hamas.
The situation for civilians in the Gaza Strip has been described as nightmarish and "hell on earth". Healthcare is virtually non-existent, and aid organizations are warning of famine-like conditions. According to Gaza's health authorities, which do not distinguish between civilian and military casualties, over 45,000 people have been killed since the outbreak of the war.
