Israel and Hamas Nearly Struck a Deal to Free Up to 50 Hostages – The New York Times

Days before Israel launched its ground invasion of Gaza, it was closing in on a deal for Hamas to release up to 50 hostages in exchange for pausing the bombardment unleashed in response to the militants' Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, according to Arab and Western officials with knowledge of the talks.

Once Israel's ground assault on Gaza got underway on Oct. 27, the negotiations came to an abrupt halt, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

The talks resumed days later and are still underway.

Israel had delayed its ground attack to give some time for the hostage negotiations to be completed, according to two of the officials.

As the talks stalled, it decided to go forward, reckoning that Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that rules Gaza, would bow to military pressure.

"There will be no pause without the return of hostages and missing persons," Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, said in a written statement to The New York Times this week.

"The only way of saving the hostages is if Israel continues its ground operation.”