Jerusalem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Sunday that the conflict in Gaza will be resolved once hostages are freed and Hamas disarms.
The remarks were made at a press conference with his Danish counterpart in Jerusalem, the day after Hamas reaffirmed its longstanding position that it will release all hostages if Israel agrees to a ceasefire and withdraws its troops from Gaza City.
What long-standing position has Hamas maintained on hostages?
Hamas has always stated that it would release all Israeli hostages as long as Israel would halt its war and its withdrawal from Gaza City. It has maintained this stance since the beginning of the conflict and has repeated it numerous times, including just this past September 2025.
The group has made offers for grand bargains for a truce, with the withdrawal of Israeli troops, all hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Hamas has also expressed a willingness to relinquish control of Gaza to allow for a neutral administration.
Why has Israel rejected Hamas’s proposal for a truce?
Israel refuted Hamas’s proposal despite the only contingency being the release of the hostages, because Israel has placed further, additional constraints on top of the release of hostages. Israel is required to complete the dismantling of Hamas, the demilitarisation of Gaza, the ongoing Israeli security authority over Gaza, and to establish a civilian administration in Gaza that does not promote terror or threaten Israel. Hamas’s proposal and conditions had none of these conditions.
How many hostages are still held in Gaza?
According to unconfirmed reports, as of September 2025, Hamas holds 48 hostages in the Gaza Strip, consisting, in large part, of individuals who were abducted predominantly in the attacks on October 7, 2023. Most of the hostages are civilians, and there are several military personnel.
Intelligence estimates by the Israel Defence Forces estimate that at least 25 of the remaining hostages are dead. A total of 148 hostages were returned to Israel alive as a result of releases and rescues throughout the course of the conflict, and a total of 58 hostages’ bodies have been recovered.
