The official, known as Abu Hamid, stated that they require time to locate those captured by various Palestinian factions during a Hamas-led "Operation Al Aqsa Flood" against zionist targets.

Abu Hamid, a member of the Hamas delegation that arrived in Moscow on Thursday, clarified that Hamas had expressed its intention to release "civilian prisoners" from the early days of the war.

He explained: "Hundreds of citizens and dozens of fighters from various Palestinian factions entered the territories occupied in 1948, and ... they captured dozens of people – most of them civilians. We need time to find them in the Gaza Strip and then release them."

Additionally, Abu Hamid revealed that israeli airstrikes on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of 50 of the captives. Currently, more than 200 captives are held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the October 7 operation.

Hamas recently released two elderly israeli civilian women from the besieged enclave, following the release of two captives with dual US-israeli nationality on Friday. Mediation efforts concerning the hostages are being led by Egypt and Qatar.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with over 7,000 Palestinians, including at least 2,913 children, reported to have been killed in israeli attacks since October 7. The conflict began with a Hamas operation on israel, starting on October 7 and reportedly ending a day later.

The zionist occupation regime has imposed restrictions on Gaza's access to essential supplies, including fuel, resulting in the destruction of entire neighborhoods and worsening humanitarian conditions. The call for a ceasefire in Gaza remains an urgent concern amid ongoing hostilities. (ILKHA)