A senior Hamas official has denied reports that the Gaza-based terrorist group is refusing to provide a full list of the living hostages, according to Qatar’s Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news outlet.
The official explained that Hamas has already provided a partial list but is facing difficulties in contacting other terrorist groups responsible for holding the captives.
Israeli estimates indicate there are 100 hostages in Gaza, 64 of whom are believed to be alive.
The official rejected earlier Israeli reports claiming that Mohammed Sinwar, the de facto leader of Hamas’s “military wing” in Gaza and brother of the slain leader Yahya Sinwar, is being inflexible and unwilling to provide a complete list of the living hostages.
“Hamas has engaged in talks with the other factions holding the hostages, but due to the situation in Gaza, it is impossible to contact all the organizations. Hamas has confirmed that it will provide a full list of the living hostages once the situation stabilizes and after a ceasefire,” the official stated, as translated by Ynet.
The senior Hamas official claimed that the “military” wing operates in full coordination with its political leadership, with complete alignment between the two. He added that the “military” wing has authorized Khalil al-Hayya, acting chairman of the Hamas political bureau, to lead the negotiating delegation, granting him the power to make decisions as he sees fit.
