Hamas says it is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the bodies of the dead in accordance with President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.
In delivering its response to Trump’s plan, the militant group said it was ready to release the hostages and give up power but made no reference to disarming and made clear there was still much more to negotiate.
Israel said on Saturday that it would start preparations for implementation of the first phase of Trump’s plan and the hostages’ release.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the Oct. 7 attack. The ensuing war has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Here are details on the hostages:
Total hostages captured during Oct. 7 attack: 251
Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: four (two who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the bodies of two soldiers killed in the 2014 war)
Hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 148, of whom eight were dead
Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 51
Hostages rescued alive: eight
Hostages still in captivity: 48, of which the Israeli military believes 20 are still alive
Non-Israeli hostages in captivity: four (two Thai nationals and one Tanzanian who have been confirmed dead, and one Nepalese national)
___
Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
