Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in an interview with NDTV, stated bluntly, "Hamas will not release all the hostages, which is the only asset they still hold" unless it is guaranteed that the war is finished.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial U.S.-backed aid distribution initiative supported by Israel, is currently the primary method for Palestinians in devastated Gaza to access supplies in designated spots after Israel lifted its aid blockade in mid-May.

Hamas wants a guarantee that negotiations will lead to a permanent end to the Gaza war.