Hamas has approved an Israeli list of 34 hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official.
The Israeli government denied receiving a list of hostages from Hamas, but did not directly respond to the substance of the Reuters report.
The Reuters news agency reported on Sunday, citing an anonymous Hamas official, that the release of the hostages would be contingent on reaching an agreement regarding Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas are also still negotiating the number and identities of Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange for the hostages.
The report suggested the list had been presented by Israel.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office appeared to cast doubt on the report.
“Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
This comes just days after indirect negotiations for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal resumed in Doha, talks that have so far shown few signs of progress, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials. On Saturday, Hamas turned up the pressure on Israel at the negotiating table, releasing a video of 19-year-old hostage Liri Albag.
Albag’s family called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the opportunity to do a ceasefire deal, describing the footage as having “torn our hearts to pieces.”
As of December 5, Hamas was still holding 100 hostages in Gaza, most of whom were abducted during the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 36 are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
This is a developing story and will be updated.