Report: Hamas may be willing to release small number of hostages next week in exchange for Eid truce

The Kan public broadcaster reports that the mediators see a willingness among some senior members of Hamas to release a small number of hostages to secure a ceasefire during the Ramadan-ending holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

The network acknowledges that it’s still unclear what Hamas will ask in exchange for those it releases, though it does say that the freed hostages would include American-Israeli Edan Alexander.

Another Kan reporter says the deal has less to do with Eid al-Fitr and more to do with the protests that have broken out against Hamas throughout Gaza over the past several days.

Hamas wants to crack down on those participating in the protests and cannot do so while Israel’s operations are ongoing as the IDF is targeting terror operatives that it spots out in the open, Kan says.

A ceasefire, even of several days, would allow for Hamas to reign in on the protests, which have been a major source for distress within the terror group, the network claims.