Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — Hamas’s armed wing said Sunday afternoon that it had lost contact with the fighters guarding two Israeli hostages in Gaza, blaming intensified Israeli operations in Gaza City.

In a statement, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades announced "the loss of contact with the two prisoners [Omri Miran and Metan Angrist] as a result of the savage military operations and intense attacks in the Sabra and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods during the past 48 hours.”

It warned that the captives’ lives were in imminent danger, demanding a pause in Israeli strikes and a withdrawal from part of Gaza City. “The lives of the two prisoners/hostages are in real danger, and the occupation forces must immediately withdraw to the south of Street 8 and halt air sorties for 24 hours starting from 18:00 this evening until an attempt is made to extract the prisoners. You have been warned,” the statement read.

The Brigades have previously reported losing communication with hostage-holders during Israeli assaults, including in the case of an Israeli-American who was later freed.

Israel launched its latest push into Gaza City earlier this month, ordering civilians to head south. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the United Nations, vowed to “finish the job” against Hamas, despite mounting criticism abroad over civilian casualties.

On October 7, 2023, 251 people were abducted and taken into Gaza by Hamas. According to the Israeli military, 47 remain in captivity, including 25 it says are dead.

Gaza’s health ministry reports that Israel’s offensive has killed more than 66,000 people, mostly civilians. The United Nations considers those figures broadly reliable.

Meanwhile, political maneuvering has intensified. Reports suggested that US President Donald Trump had circulated a draft 21-point framework for a ceasefire and hostage release to Israeli and Hamas negotiators. Hamas denied receiving any such proposal but said it would “positively and responsibly” consider serious initiatives conveyed by mediators, provided they safeguard Palestinian national rights.

Some accounts indicated that Hamas had been weighing—in principle—an arrangement involving the release of hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a staged withdrawal of Israeli troops. But the group publicly dismissed claims it had agreed to any plan, insisting no official proposal had been presented.

Neither side has formally endorsed the US draft for now, although American officials have been sharing it in meetings with regional and allied leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations in recent days. Trump is expected to press Netanyahu to move forward when the two meet on Monday at the White House.