Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

China

Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

2025-04-18 09:43 Last Updated At：16:57

Hamas said on Thursday evening that it is ready to immediately begin negotiations on a deal to swap all Israeli hostages of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, in a bid to completely stop the Gaza conflict.

Hamas expressed "readiness to immediately begin negotiations on a comprehensive package, whereby all prisoners held by the resistance and an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners in the occupation's prisons are released," Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, said in a video speech.

This is "in exchange for a complete cessation of the war against our people, a full (Israeli) withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the start of reconstruction, and the end of the (Israeli) siege," Al-Hayya said.

Al-Hayya accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government of "using partial agreements as a cover" for Netanyahu's "political agenda, which is based on continuing the war," adding that Hamas "will not be part of implementing this policy."

On Monday, Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported that Egyptian and Qatari negotiators had presented to Hamas a new deal proposal that includes the release of about 10 hostages and a temporary truce.

Hamas said in a statement that it was reviewing the proposal, and would submit its response after completing internal consultations.

On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with the group that captured Israeli-U.S. hostage Edan Alexander after an Israeli bombardment targeted their location.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu's office said the prime minister instructed Israeli negotiators to "continue the steps" for the release of hostages still held in Gaza.

Since Israel ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on Gaza on March 18, 1,691 people have been killed and 4,464 injured, Gaza health authorities said Thursday.

Gaza's civil defense agency reported that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people on Thursday, most of them sheltering in displacement camps. In Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, two missiles struck several tent areas, killing at least 16 people and injuring 23, many of them women and children.

Additional strikes were also reported across Gaza, including in al-Mawasi, Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Gaza City.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.