Hamas Rejects Hostage Releases Until End of Israel-Gaza War

Hamas, the group controlling the Gaza Strip, has stated that there will be no more hostage releases until Israel agrees to a "full cessation of aggression." Israel claims to have killed over 2,000 Hamas fighters since a truce earlier this month, during which more than 100 hostages were freed. Efforts are underway at the United Nations to pass a resolution on the ongoing conflict, but the US has expressed concerns. The fighting continues, with Israel bombarding Gaza and Hamas firing rockets at Tel Aviv. The week-long truce allowed for increased aid flow into Gaza, but negotiations for a new truce have not yet yielded an agreement. Hamas' statement puts pressure on Israel to end the war, but the Israeli government is reluctant to do so until it feels it has significantly degraded Hamas' capabilities.