There are many hostages still held by Hamas in Rafah, Israel's hostages and missing person coordinator Gal Hirsch said in an interview with CNN's Alex Marquardt on Saturday.
Hirsch made this statement after being asked by Marquardt if a hostage deal could be reached before any Israeli ground operation in the southern Gazan city. The Israeli official also said that there are many terrorists located in the city as well.
"Hamas is still here," he said. "We do not want to cause collateral damage. Rafah has many people there that Hamas uses right now as human shields. We are doing our best - everything we can, everything that is possible, to avoid collateral damage," he continued. "But Rafah must be next because we must release our hostages."
"We want a deal very much," Hirsch said, "and we know we need to pay prices, but Hamas's demands are disconnected from reality - delusional. We hope very much that they will come much closer to the zone of a potential agreement."
A deal "out of bounds"
When asked by Marquardt what specifically about the deal is "out of bounds" for Israel, Hirsch said that Hamas knows their demands are completely out of bounds and expressed concern about who exactly is on the other side of the negotiations within Hamas.
"We need proof that on the other side, there is someone who can deliver," the Israeli official continued regarding the question of whether Hamas officials are in touch with their own leaders on the ground in Gaza. The proof that Hirsch says he wants to see includes whether or not the medical supplies that were sent to Israeli hostages actually reached them.
"This is very important because it will show us that there is someone there who can really deliver," he continued. However, last Friday, the IDF found boxes of medicine in Gaza intended for the hostages but never reached the captives.
Hirsch also admitted that "we are ready to pay prices," in response to a question by Marquardt asking if Israel would release Palestinian prisoners who carried terror attacks on Israelis or have life sentences in exchange for hostages.
When Hirsch was asked about his level of optimism in releasing the hostages, he believed a deal could be made "because we are ready to pay prices, but it must be closer to the zone of a potential agreement."