Israel Rejects Hamas Claim of Readiness for Comprehensive Gaza Deal as Talks Remain Stalled
Netanyahu’s office calls Hamas statement ‘spin’ and reiterates preconditions including full release of hostages and Gaza demilitarisation
Israel on Wednesday rejected a statement from Hamas saying the armed group was ready to accept a "comprehensive deal" to end the Gaza war and free all its hostages, calling the announcement "more spin by Hamas that has nothing new."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the war would end only once the 48 hostages taken in the October attacks — 20 of whom are believed to be alive — were released, Hamas was disarmed, Gaza was demilitarised, Israel had security control, and an "alternative civilian administration" was put in place.
Hamas issued its statement on Tuesday evening, reiterating a long-standing demand for a hostage-for-prisoner exchange and calling for Israeli forces to withdraw, crossings to be reopened and the start of reconstruction work in Gaza. The group also said it supported forming a post-war administration run by independent technocrats to govern Gaza.
The Hamas release came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media urging the group to return hostages. "Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!" he wrote.
Israel’s rejection underscores the deep gaps that remain between the parties and the difficult task facing mediators. Netanyahu’s office emphasised that any end to hostilities would be contingent on comprehensive security guarantees, the dismantling of Hamas’s military capabilities and Israeli control over Gaza’s borders and airspace.
Regional mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, have previously put forward proposals aimed at securing the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and temporary pauses in fighting to allow humanitarian aid and reconstruction. Hamas last month said it had accepted an arrangement proposed by Qatar and Egypt that involved the phased release of some hostages; details in the latest Hamas statement reflect elements of those mediated proposals.
International actors have repeatedly called for humanitarian access to Gaza and increased protection for civilians amid heavy fighting and widespread destruction. Israel has said its military campaign targets Hamas infrastructure and aims to prevent further attacks, while Hamas leaders and other Palestinian officials have emphasised the acute civilian toll and the need for reconstruction and governance arrangements after the conflict.
Officials on both sides gave no immediate indication that the latest exchanges would lead to renewed, near-term talks or a concrete timeline for a prisoner-hostage exchange. Diplomatic efforts by regional and international intermediaries have continued amid stop-start negotiations, but the positions outlined by Hamas and the Israeli government on Wednesday highlighted the substantive differences that negotiators must bridge if a deal is to be achieved.
The fate of the remaining hostages remains central to any potential agreement. Israeli authorities say recovering all the abducted citizens is a primary objective of their military and diplomatic efforts. Hamas’s statement framed its demands as conditions for any truce and for the transition to post-conflict governance in Gaza.
As discussions continue, humanitarian agencies and governments have called for increased access to aid and protection for civilians. The current public statements from both sides suggest that while proposals from mediators have shaped aspects of the dialogue, significant diplomatic work will be required to reconcile security, political and humanitarian priorities and to produce a framework that both Israel and Hamas can accept.