Senior Hamas political bureau official and arch-terrorist Taher al-Nunu has said that his terror group has submitted a list of prisoners it demands be released, in accordance with the agreed-upon criteria and number of prisoners to be freed.
"The Hamas delegation has demonstrated the necessary responsibility and positivity to achieve the required progress and reach an agreement," he claimed. "The mediators have invested significant efforts to remove every obstacle to implementing the ceasefire steps, and there is a prevailing atmosphere of optimism."
According to him, "the negotiations currently focus on mechanisms for ending the war, the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip, and prisoner exchanges. Today, the lists of prisoners which need to be released were handed over in line with the agreed criteria and numbers. Indirect talks will continue today with the participation of all parties and mediators."
Hamas is demanding that Israel not resume fighting after the release of the hostages, that 400 humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza daily, and that Israeli forces withdraw from densely populated areas to enable hostage handovers. The terror group is also insisting on the release of six senior terrorists, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa'adat, as well as members of the elite Nukhba unit.
Al-Nunu added that the return of hostages’ bodies is expected to take longer than the timeframe set by US President Donald Trump for hostage release in his proposed deal.
Hamas is also reportedly demanding that Israel release the bodies of Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar - a demand which Israel has refused before due to the symbolic importance the bodies hold for Gazans, and the strategic risks of releasing the bodies.
On Tuesday afternoon, a senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the terror group had demanded that the stages of releasing the hostages be linked to the stages of the complete withdrawal of forces. They said that the release of the last hostage "must occur simultaneously with the final withdrawal of Israeli forces." The Hamas delegation also emphasized the need for international guarantees for a "permanent ceasefire and full withdrawal."
According to reports, the list of prisoners that Hamas demands to be released includes those they define as "big names" — Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa'adat, Hassan Salameh, Abbas al-Sayed, and others.