Hamas and Israel were 'inches' away from deal on hostages

Hamas and Israel were “two inches away” from a hostage deal which would have resulted in the release of women and children held in Gaza after the 7 October attack, but the deal fell through when Israel launched a ground operation.

Sources with knowledge of the Qatari-led mediation told Middle East Eye that Hamas was willing to go through with the deal, but needed a guarantee from Israel that the hostages would be safe.

Hamas has claimed that 50 of the hostages are among thousands of people killed by the intense bombing campaign Israel has waged for three weeks, although this figure cannot be confirmed.

MEE asked Israeli officials for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Hamas said they also needed time to collect all the hostages, who are spread throughout Gaza and held by different militant groups and others who followed Hamas into southern Israel after the Israeli army’s Gaza Division collapsed.

Read more: Hamas and Israel were 'inches' away from deal on hostages