Dozens of hostages are alive ‘with certainty’ — top Israeli negotiator

A senior Israeli negotiator tells AFP that dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are certainly alive and that Israel cannot accept halting the war until all captives are released in a deal.

“Dozens are alive with certainty,” the official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

“We cannot leave them there a long time. They will die,” he says, adding that a vast majority of them are being held by Hamas terrorists.

The official says Israel cannot end the conflict with Hamas before a hostage deal because the terror group could “breach their commitment… and drag out the negotiations for 10 years” or more.

“We cannot, at this point in time — before signing the agreement — commit to ending the war,” the official says.

“Because during the first phase, there’s a clause that we hold negotiations about the second phase. The second phase is the release of the men and male soldier hostages.”

The official says the Israeli negotiating team had green-lit the Biden plan.

“We expect, and are waiting for, Hamas to say ‘yes,'” the official says.

“In the event we don’t reach an agreement with Hamas, the IDF will continue to fight in the Gaza Strip in a no less intense fashion than it’s fighting now,” he says.

“In a different manner, but an intense manner.