TEHRAN- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that Hamas has signaled readiness to release the “civilian” hostages if Israel stops airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas officials “said they were ready to take the necessary steps to free citizens and civilians held by the resistance groups, but their view was that such steps required preparations that were not possible in the face of the daily bombardment of various areas of Gaza by the Zionists,” Kanaani stated.

According to Sky News, a Hamas official has also demanded 6,000 Palestinian men and women detained in Israel's jails be released in exchange for hostages in Gaza.

The Israeli military said on Monday that 199 captives were being held in the besieged territory - a higher figure than previously estimated.

Khaled Meshaal, head of Hamas' diaspora office, said the hostages include high-ranking officers from the Israeli Forces' Gaza Division, which is responsible for patrolling around the Gaza Strip.

Dr. Basem Naim, Hamas's head of political and international relations, told Sky News: "I have no idea because it is impossible under this heavy bombardment - the communications are totally cut."

He also said Hamas was ready to release civilian hostages when "aggression against our people is stopped".

"At the time the aggression stops, we are ready to release the civilian hostages," he said.

"I hope that we will have hostages alive at the time the aggression ends because al Qassam Brigade [Hamas's armed wing] announced yesterday that nine of the hostages were killed under Israeli bombardment.

"And three days ago 13 others were killed - including four foreigners."

“No problem with continuing the resistance”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman also said, “We heard from the Resistance that they have no problem with continuing the resistance.” 

The spokesman went on to add, “They said they have the military capacity to continue resistance on the ground for a long time.”

He continued, “If such inhumane policy persists, all options are possible. The resistance front in the region will not close its eyes to the Zionists’ crimes. The continuation of these conditions can endanger regional peace. It is everyone’s responsibility worldwide to confront the actions of the Zionists.”

Kanaani also argued that the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movements’ Operation al-Aqsa Storm was purely indigenous, dismissing baseless claims by American media about Iran’s possible involvement as part of efforts to prevent the world public opinion from challenging Washington’s unconditional support for Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians.

“The dispatch of the U.S. naval fleet to the region can be best explained as support for injustice. Any party which supports the Zionist regime bears the same level of responsibility, and has to be held accountable before the Palestinian nation,” the Iranian diplomat said.

The war in Gaza is “a Palestinian battle and the decision to enter it was a Palestinian decision” made by Hamas and its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al Qassam Brigades, “together with the Palestinian resistance factions,” according to Hamas’ representative in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdul-Hadi.

Abdul-Hadi said that Hamas allies Iran and Hezbollah will not allow Israel “to crush Gaza” or to launch a “comprehensive ground attack, and “this is up to the developments in the situation at the time.”

In case of a “ground attack, regardless of its level,” or if “more and more massacres continue to be committed” in Gaza and Hamas is using up its resources, he said, there will be “surprises announced.”