ISTANBUL

Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said Wednesday evening it agreed to release 10 Israeli hostages as part of its “flexibility” to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Hamas “continues its intensive and responsible efforts to ensure the success of the ongoing round of negotiations, striving to reach a comprehensive agreement that ends the aggression against our people, secures the free and safe entry of humanitarian aid, and alleviates the worsening suffering in the Gaza Strip,” the group said in a statement.

“In its commitment to the success of the current efforts, the movement has shown the necessary flexibility and agreed to release 10 prisoners.”

Hamas said key issues including the flow of aid, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave, and real guarantees for a lasting ceasefire, remain under discussion.

Israel did not immediately comment on the statement by Hamas.

Earlier, the Israeli public broadcaster, citing an unnamed source familiar with the negotiations, claimed that Israel had shown "significant flexibility" in recent hours during the talks regarding withdrawal from the Morag axis in southern Gaza.

US President Donald Trump said earlier his administration is "getting very close to a deal" on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, former Israeli Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "abandon his stubbornness" and immediately conclude a deal to return hostages and establish a "permanent" ceasefire in Gaza, according to Israel’s Channel 7.

On Tuesday evening, Trump met with Netanyahu at the White House for the second time within 24 hours, discussing the ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal.

Delegations from Hamas and Israel are continuing negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha to end the war that has claimed more than 57,000 Palestinian lives since October 2023.