Israeli minister sees chance for Gaza hostage release deal

Relatives of victims of the October 7 attacks visit an installation bearing the photos of their loved ones who were killed or kidnapped during the attacks, at the site of the Nova festival, in Re'im, southern Israel. Photo / AFP

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has told his US counterpart Lloyd Austin there is “currently a chance” for a deal to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza for more than 14 months.

“There is currently a chance for a new deal,” Katz told Austin in a phone call, according to a statement from the office of the US Secretary of Defence.

“We are hoping for the release of all the hostages, including US citizens,” he said.

The US, with Egypt and Qatar, has been unsuccessfully attempting to mediate a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas for more than a year.

Palestinian militants took 251 people hostage during Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, 2023. A total of 96 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are dead.

Recently, there have been signs that months of failed negotiations might be revived and a breakthrough achieved.

This week, a source close to Hamas told news agency AFP that the group had told Egypt’s spy chief of “efforts to collect information about the living Israeli prisoners”.

The source said that Hamas had prepared a list of hostages who were still alive, including several prisoners with dual Israeli and US citizenship.

“If Israel agrees to the Egyptian proposal, I think the exchange deal will be ready for implementation,” the source said.

Another upbeat assessment came from Qatar, which said the election of Donald Trump as the next US President had created new “momentum” for negotiations.

At the same time, a source close to the Hamas delegation said that Turkey, as well as Egypt and Qatar, had been “making commendable efforts to stop the war”, and a new round of talks could begin soon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hinted at potential progress, telling the families of hostages that Israel’s military successes against Hezbollah and Hamas would facilitate negotiations for their release.

Protesters, including relatives of the hostages, have repeatedly called for a deal to free the captives and accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political purposes.

The unprecedented October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry which the UN considers reliable.

Seven individuals with US citizenship remain in Gaza, with four confirmed dead. Last week, the Israeli military notified the family of US-Israeli soldier Omer Neutra that he was killed on October 7 and his body held in Gaza.

-Agence France-Presse