Germany’s Scholz: Israel, Hamas Near Ceasefire Deal, Hostage Release Top Priority

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that Israel and Hamas appear to be on the verge of a ceasefire agreement that could lead to the release of Israeli hostages held by the militant group since October 2023, Bloomberg reports.

Scholz’s comments, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, highlight the high stakes and delicate nature of the ongoing negotiations.

“We understand how painful any agreement with the terrorist organization Hamas is for Israel,” Scholz acknowledged in his post.

However, he emphasized that “the lives of the hostages must now be the top priority.”

“I say this not least because numerous German citizens are among the hostages.”