Hamas ready to discuss deal without ‘permanent’ ceasefire

A senior Hamas official told AFP that the group is ready to hold talks about releasing hostages in Gaza without a “complete and permanent ceasefire”.

“This step was by-passed as the [Qatari] mediators pledged that as long as the prisoner negotiations continued, the ceasefire would continue,” the top Hamas official told AFP.

The group has previously put a permanent ceasefire as a requirement to start talks on a hostage swap.