Hamas says ready to release 50 hostages in Gaza for 5-day cease-fire

GAZA - Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said on Monday that it has informed mediators of its readiness to release 50 women and children hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a 5-day cease-fire.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a message on its Telegram channel that "Qatari mediators have made efforts to release Israeli detainees in exchange for releasing 200 Palestinian children and 75 women."

He stressed that the cease-fire should ensure a halt to hostilities and allow aid entry to people in the enclave.

He emphasized that the continued Israeli ground, naval, and aerial aggression threatens the lives of the detainees held by them and by other armed Palestinian factions in Gaza.

The Israeli military operations came in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on Oct 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed in Israel and about 240 hostages were taken, according to Israeli figures.