Hamas agrees to release 10 living Israeli hostages in Gaza ceasefire talks

The terrorist organization Hamas on Wednesday said it has agreed to release 10 living hostages as part of a possible 60-day ceasefire with Israel.

The hostages are part of the over 250 hostages the group took during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in 2023. Fewer than 50 hostages remain, and 27 are believed to be dead, according to the French outlet Agence France-Presse.

The agreement comes on the fourth consecutive day of negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar. The United States is helping mediate the ceasefire negotiations, which Hamas said still has significant hurdles. President Trump expressed cautious optimism that a ceasefire could be struck within the next week or so.

Hamas said some of the remaining hurdles include the free flow of aid into Gaza, Israeli military withdrawal from the area and "real guarantees" for a lasting peace.

"The movement displayed the required flexibility and agreed to release 10 prisoners (hostages)," Hamas said in a statement. "Despite the difficulty of negotiations over these issues until now due to the intransigence of the occupation, we continue to work seriously and with a positive spirit with the mediators to overcome the hurdles and end the suffering of our people and ensure their aspirations to freedom, safety and a dignified life."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met with President Donald Trump at the White House this week, has also said there is a "good chance" a ceasefire could be reached soon.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.