While Hamas has yet to cave in hostage talks, Israeli official insists military pressure working

Commenting on the government’s efforts to free the remaining hostages during a briefing with reporters on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Hungary, a “senior Israeli official” says Jerusalem is currently placing an emphasis on military pressure against Hamas.

The majority of hostage families oppose this strategy, warning that it risks the lives of their loved ones.

The “senior Israeli official” claims that Israel has identified “cracks” in Hamas due to the IDF’s renewed offensive in Gaza. The “cracks” are between Hamas’s military leaders in the northern and southern Strip and between Hamas leaders in Gaza and Hamas leaders abroad. However, he acknowledges that the terror group has not yet shifted its approach in the talks.

Hamas has insisted on sticking to the original terms of the deal, which was supposed to enter its second phase on March 2. That phase envisions the return of all living hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war — two conditions Netanyahu has refused, arguing that they leave Hamas in power.

He has instead sought to secure an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire, which would see the release of additional hostages while still allowing Israel to resume fighting.

The “senior Israeli official” briefing reporters says Israel will not agree to end the war in exchange for the hostages because Hamas is demanding significant guarantees, including through a UN Security Council resolution, that would bar Israel from resuming operations in Gaza.

The official claims that some Hamas operatives holding hostages may decide to leave the Strip due to Israel’s latest offensive — something that has not yet occurred.

The “senior Israeli official” insists that he understands that the hostages are suffering in captivity. However, he says that most of the hostages’ deaths — either by their captors or by Israeli airstrikes–— took place before February 2024, while eight were killed over the past year.

The official says at least 21 and as many as 24 hostages are still alive. There are 59 hostages in total.