The spokesperson for the Hamas terrorist organisation has signalled readiness to free all civilian hostages on the condition that Israel ceases fire and halts its reprisal on Gaza, marking a significant shift in the insurgents’ previous stance.

Tensions have flared between Israeli authorities and Hamas after the terrorist sect unleashed terror on attendees of a music festival in Israel on October 7. At least 200 festival-goers, including U.S. citizens, were abducted by the sect as hostages.

Israel responded with the same aggression, launching airstrikes that have killed hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said plans have been perfected for the nation’s military to invade Gaza.

But a report by MSNBC says the Islamist insurgents, who refer to the abducted civilians as “guests”, are now willing to release them should the planned invasion of the Gaza Strip be paused. 

“If the bombing stops, he(Hamas militant) said that all of the civilian hostages, Israeli and foreigners, could be released in one hour,” Richard Engel, MSNBC’s chief foreign correspondent, reported Tuesday evening. 

“They are being treated as guests, [the spokesman said].”

When pressed on why the hostages could not be immediately freed, MSNBC was told that “it is impossible because Israel is bombing everywhere and there is no safe place.”