Israel Rejects Gaza Ceasefire Without Hostage Deal

A senior Israeli security official asserted that Israel will not agree to any ceasefire in Gaza unless it includes a deal for the return of hostages. This stance comes in response to Hamas' statement about being open to negotiating a hostage exchange if Israel stops its military actions in Gaza.

Israel will not agree to any halt in fighting in Gaza that is not part of a deal that includes a return of hostages, a senior Israeli security official said on Friday.

The comment came after a statement from Hamas declaring that it would be ready to reach an agreement including an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, as long as Israel stopped the fighting in Gaza.

"There will be no truce, or any halt in fighting whatsoever, in Gaza which is not part-and-parcel of a hostage-release deal," the official said in comments sent to Reuters. "Any ceasefire would arise solely within the framework of a deal."